I am a part of four different LARP (live action role-playing) Discord groups at the moment. I had been meaning to go to a LARP, but every time I put the event on my calendar, something else would come up and I’d have to miss it. Last month, I was able to dedicate the time, and I went to my first LARP session! I wasn’t sure what to expect or if I would like it, but I ended up having a blast. I wanted to share a little bit more about what LARPing is, the game that I played, and the character I created.

LARP stands for live action role playing. Essentially, I’d describe LARP as playing a TTRPG, but instead of rolling dice, you act out what your character does. Players can set up objectives that they want their characters to meet and interact with other players through their characters. Gamemasters exist in LARP, and they come up with different events that all players can partake in. This is an over-simplified explanation of LARP, and as someone who has only LARPed once, it’s less of a refined definition and more of how I can explain LARP in my own words.

The LARP I went to was for the game Wraith: The Oblivion. Wraith: The Oblivion is a World of Darkness game, which may sound familiar as it exists in the same world as Vampire: The Masquerade. In Wraith, players play as ghosts who died in the mortal world and now exist in this darker underworld. Depending on how players died, players are sorted into legions. There’s a legion consisting of ghosts who died of old age, or those who died from acts of violence, or those who don’t remember how they died. There’s a mystery to it as to why your character didn’t move on after death. Why are they still here, and what do you hope to accomplish throughout the game? This was my first time playing Wraith, as I had heard about the game before, but hadn’t had a chance to play.

My character is named Mia. She was an emergency room nurse who remembers leaving work, but then she wakes up in the underworld. She was told that she had died, but she simply doesn’t remember what happened to her. Mia belongs to the Legion of Paupers, meaning a ghost who doesn’t remember what happened to her. How does Mia find purpose in her existence? I liked the idea of her finding value in her career and what that would mean for her as a character. I thought it was an interesting contrast for someone to believe in science and reason, and now has to think about things differently. On top of that, I wanted to make her death a mystery. I thought it would be easier to roleplay since I don’t know as much about Wraith’s gameplay mechanics.

Before the game, I was chatting with one of the storytellers on Discord. They helped share tips for crafting a character while also giving me space to come up with something on my own. When I arrived at where the LARP was held, that same storyteller helped me fill out my character sheet. For someone who had no idea how to play the game, I liked that someone took the time to walk me through it all. After that, I was partnered with another storyteller. We had a conversation in which Mia woke up in a darker emergency room of sorts, where she was told that she had died. After Mia got the rundown of the world, she was led by the storyteller to where the other players were.

I was a little nervous, because I didn’t know everyone there. There were two people whom I had played Vampire: The Masquerade with before, so not total strangers, but the idea of going up to people in character was a little intimidating. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. All of our characters were talking with each other, and time passed quickly. The session was four hours in total, and I didn’t find myself bored or losing interest. After the session ended, it was clear that Mia had plot points and things she wanted to accomplish in the next session.

My first LARP was a positive experience! I want to try out some of the other LARPs in the Twin Cities area, but this one will be one I want to continue with. I am proud of myself for trying something new and putting myself out there. While I go to conventions by myself, it’s something I feel comfortable with, and LARP was new. I can’t wait to LARP in the future, and maybe I’ll come in costume next time.