How To Play

For those new to LARP:

LARP, or live action role play, is a blend of theatrical art improv acting and the social game Dungeon's & Dragons. You will create a character that you will play during the event and during the event you will continuously act as that character would act (moody and unfriendly characterless are not fun to play!). Breaking character is called being "out of character". You will solve puzzles or riddles, hang out with friends, and hopefully survive some awesome battles all as your character. 

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Please note, in the land of Estel Uqua, all pronouns are assumed to be they/them unless a person says otherwise.

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For All Players:

To play this LARP you will need to follow the below steps:

1. Read through all the materials on this site

2. Create your character, including a brief background

3. Submit your character with your RSVP via the Events tab

4. Fill out and submit the required liability release form (or have your parents do so if you're under 18) to Ms. Hales email. 

4. Gather or create the items necessary to play your character.

These include:​​

Renaissance or Fantasy style outfit

Prosthetic Ears, Beard, or Tusks if playing Elves, Dwarves, or Orcs

Weapons if your character can use them

Must comply with LARP standards (EVA & Latex)

Spell packets if your character can use them

Primary spell casters may not carry more than 5 spell packets at any given time and Paladins and Monks may only carry 2 at any given time, the rest must remain in your tent. I recommend a fabric you can recognize as yours.

Tent, sleeping gear, hygiene items for the event.​​​

6. Alert Ms. Hale via email if you have any nutrition needs at least TWO WEEKS before the event.

Nut free, vegetarian, and gluten-free/celiac friendly items are already on the menu.

7. Alert Ms. Hale via email if you have any medical concerns before the event.

8. Show up at the event and have fun!

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Full Weekend Notes:

Full Weekend Play/Game Time - 

• For full weekend events, Player Characters (PCs) will play their originally created characters for the bulk of the game, but will be required to NPC a total of  4 hours throughout the weekend.

• While you may arrive or leave at any point during the game, please make all efforts to arrive and depart at the time you indicated on your RSVP submission, as NPC schedules are based off of that. If you will be late, please let Ms. Hale know!

• For Arrival at the site for set up begins at 5pm Fridays. Those who attend this will get extra in-character bonuses and an extra special mod.

• Game officially ends at Noon

• We must be cleaned up and out of the site by 1pm. Please remember that we leave the site cleaner than we found it.

• Meal times are approximately: Breakfasts 9am, Lunch 1pm, Dinner 6pm. Meals will only be served Saturday and breakfast on Sunday

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Now, for the fun stuff...

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How to Use a LARP sword/weapon:

This is surprisingly easy: you swing it at people. And like all easy things there are caveats.

You NEVER use the handle end (pommel) to hit a person, and you NEVER wield a LARP sword like a baseball bat. If this is seen game play will be stopped. You MUST pull your blows. Pulling your blow is essentially pulling back on your swing right before your weapon hits the person you're fighting. This ensures the life of your weapon as well as minimal 'ouch'. On the events tab are days we will be available at our house for practice if you swing by. 

And now for the hardest part - you MUST to 'call' your damage with each swing for it to 'count'. If you don't call your damage your weapon does no damage when it touches the other person. Example: I'm a sorcerer, fighting a paladin. My life points are at 10 and the Paladin is a mighty warrior swinging a hefty 10 damage. The Paladin swings and hits me but forgets to call their damage and so, I don't die. I do, instead, use my magic to freeze them in place, protecting myself so I can run away. Had the Paladin hit me, I would have been mortally wounded.

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How to Use a Spell:

Spell casting takes 2 steps. The first is saying the spell incantation (a specific set of words that let people know what's about to happen) and then you have to - in the same breath - throw a spell packet AND hit your target. If you say the words right and throw your packet without a pause and hit your target with the packet, the spell works!

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How to Die:

When your hit points drop to 5, you are weakened - no running! Now's a great time to seek help.

When your hit points drop to 0 you must fall to the ground and lay still. No begging friends to save you, you're unconscious. If someone asks "what's wrong" you may say "out of character: [describe your wound]". Example: The Paladin from above hits me on the shoulder, dropping me to 0. I fall to the ground and they run away (very un-paladin like of them, might I say) a friend comes over and says "why are you laying here?" and I would say "out of character, you see me laying on the ground, my shoulder severed from my body and blood spurting everywhere". And hopefully they heal me. If they don't and just loot my body, well, my character is unconscious, so I can't be bitter about that.

When your hit points are at -5, you put your fist on the top of your head and go straight to the NPC shack. When you reach 0, you lose 1 more hit point from the wound for every 60 seconds you lie there, so within 5 minutes, if you aren't healed, you should be putting on your white headband.

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How to Resurrect:

When your character resurrects you will come back at full hit points. There are 2 ways to resurrect:

1. After you finish a short NPCing stent and have your Death Mod, you will reform in the Sorcerer's guild's circle.

2. If your friends are impatient and can't wait, they can pay one gold to have you resurrected. Hope you have wealthy friends.

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What's a Death Mod?

It's what your character remembers from being dead.

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What do I do when I NPC?

Sometimes when you NPC you'll be given a character to play and a goal that your character is trying to achieve. This could be anything from soliciting adventurers to go on a quest to stealing something. At other times you'll be playing random monsters and get to attack your friends (mwahahahahah).

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How to Steal In Game:

See something you want and don't have the 'coin'? Dead body on the field with pockets full of gems? You can 'steal' things in game, unless your class, deity, guild, or culture has some rule against it. And even then... is anyone watching? Just... don't get caught. Aside from losing friends in-game you might just end up on the wrong side of a monster's blade or The Law! Once you have successfully taken something without getting caught (or screaming "whoohoo, look what I just stole!" from 3 feet away), quietly find a GM (adult wearing a white headband) and tell them what you stole. They'll make a record of it so the item can get back to the right person. Please note you can't keep 'stolen' game items (or in game purchased items) when you leave the game, and some people may not be able to stay the duration and will need their item back before leaving. If that's the case, you'll be given a piece of paper with the name of the item on it. If someone steals your item paper, they also took your item so don't lose them! Items in sleeping tents cannot be stolen, and are out of game play. Electronics are way out of game play, obviously, cuz they don't exist in this world.

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How Skills and Traits Work:

Some characters will have extra abilities due to being an npc, or having a deity, class, or being that gives them those extra skills. Skills can only be used a set amount of time per day. Each skill has a name, and to use it you say the name of the skill. This tells the adult NPC or GM in charge or in your area that you've used your skill so we can help you remember when you're out. Example: I have the ability to Talk With Animals and am facing a Dire Rat on my own. I say "I Talk With Animals" and the adult NPC who happens to be the Dire Rat says "Ok" (of if I've used them all up "sorry you're all out" and proceeds to eat me). If they moderator (adult NPC or GM) says I can go ahead then I can convince the dire rat not to eat me, hopefully.

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Pausing Game Play

Occasionally, to clarify an action or for safety reasons, game play will be called. TIME OUT is the term used and may only be called by a PC if it is a safety issue, otherwise it will be called by the GM. When Time Out is called, all players should take a knee (kneel like a knight of old) in the exact location where they are/were when Time Out is called. Only GMs can call "Time In/Lay On" and resume game play.

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