From: dem@harlqn.co.uk (David Miller)
Subject: LARP: in the UK
Organization: Harlequin Limited, Cambridge, England
Distribution: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 18:47:51 GMT


I have been copiously joyful to see L[a]RPers on the net.
I'd leerv to exchange anecdotes and event reports and stats about your
local groups.

	Here is a quick description of where I 'do it'.

In Chistlehurst, just inside the M25 (the London orbital motorway) there
is a set of caves which data back to Roman chalk works and were used as
air raid shelters during WW2.
	This is the home of The Labyrinthe Club. They have been going
since pre-'86 and are a commercial service these days.  There are about
2,000 sometime players, of which about 100+ form the main core.
The cave system which they have access to extends down and out for at
least a mile.  There is room for The Office, muster desks, the tavern and
an armoury as well as 8 seperate dungeon areas which can accomodate a party
of about ten players, plus ref & monsters for a 3 hour session. There are
6 sessions each weekend. That makes about 500 play slots per weekend.
All players and games are part of the ongoing life of Labyrinthia.
There are several ongoing campaigns, some which can effect players who
aren't directly involved!  Most players have several characters at one time.
A character starts at 1st leveland progress up to 6th mostly by just coming
out alive! They then build up 'adventure points' to get to 8th.
This should take about 12 sessions at the very minimum. Once at 8th level,
the real game begins!  As you gain adventure points (based on from how well
you play your character to how good your costme is) you can spend them
on abilities for your character.  Also above 8th level many good priests
can ressurect characters, so getting dead a few times in your career is
fairly common.
	Character classes are based on the standard warrior, cleric, thief
and wizard which mix in many ways.  Also higher 8th level characters can
add on additional classes and request 'custom' abilities, ranging from
the sublime (if a priest of the Church of Shallya dies, Torwin the high
priestess sends her spirit to ressurect them while-u-wait!) to a half-orc
how can call "surfs up" and make a group of monsters assume surfing possitions
for 10 seconds (they also have to sing "Surf City" !)
There are druids and witches and a whole set of psionic and ki classes.
There are many races open to players. human, dwarf, elf, goblin,
1/2 orc, 1/2 ogre, 1/2 troll, 1/2 elf, drow plus melnibanions and gythanki.

The players can join many sub groups, which are created and driven by
characters.  These tend to given extra abilities to their members.
There are various church guilds for priest and paladins, elemental guilds
for wizards and tribes of hordling types.

Finding treasure and being payed for quests gets you grulls (money) to
buy armour and potions. Armour wears out, potions expire, so you always
need money (just like real life?).  Also there may be supernatural items
to be acquired.

Armour comes in various forms, chail & plate must have a Fiz Rep.  Actual
metal content can give a better class of protection.  Weapons can be
provided made from polycarbonate rod, 'karri-mat' and 'gaffa' tape.
Many people buy better looking items made from polycarbonate rod, calogen
foam and a good latex skin. Safety is some time self regulating ("Oi!","sorry")
and various threats by refs to just blow you up if you don't play fair.
People whom play a lot tend to learn. Or get sliced up by the monsters!
The only hazard is that these caves are Dark!  There are minimal lights
on the main access walkway, but you need a light or two in the party.
They once allowed real candles, but now battery power is used.
The chemical 'glow-stick' is growing in popularity.  Wear 'em, throw 'em
up ahead (break 'em open, spray it everywhere...!)
Of course there are times when you want the lights out, until the killing
is completed ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Harrr!!! (ooops sorry, carried away a bit)

The monster encounters range from Hack The Zombie up to whatever unstopable
unpleasant killing machine the phsychopathic-sick-weirdo-they-claim-is-a-ref
can dream up in his pulp-literature & acne rotted mind.

The people (can they be called that?) who frequent The Cave are a large
cross section of life, although there are a great many late-teens males,
but that seems to apply to a lot of RPG, from what I hear on this net.
But there are some girls (shock horror!) and Old Men ( 30+ ) like me.
--
D.M.

David E. Miller	|   " I am assured that my       |  8th+177pts Warrior Priest
Harlequin Ltd	|    opinions are mine alone "   |  in the Guild of Elbereth
Cambs UK	|   'Discern Nature of Bug'      |  at Labryinthe, Chistlehurt
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc