 |
| Last Hope LARP group |
New World Event - Of Wolves & Watchers
Few players get the chance to experience a new location AND a decent sized group of players at the same time... and this is what happened at the Last Hope LARP event in Rock Springs, WI. On a remote 80 Acres of rolling hills, swamp, forest, pine nursery and farm land came an event that featured much exploring, questing, feasting and battles.
Last Hope LARP has 2 sets of games. One plays in an "old world" which has different creatures and story line than their "new world" games. Both systems are woven together under the premise of characters fled the old world for the new one. The stories are quite interesting and a good read.
The group built a massive outpost a few weekends before this inaugural game on new land. A truly peaceful place that is really remote but has an alright amount of parking for vehicles. It could of had some kinda restroom however and many of the campers were not used to or didn't properly prepare for the lack of amenities. However, being the LARPers we all were, no one really complained about it.
STORYLINE:
Daven's Reach is beginning to get back to normal, but the last Mordok attack was just barely repelled. It appears that the Mordok shamn in the area is leading the Mordok in organized attacks. An Ulven scout reported that the shaman has left the area and has fled to towards the Dirge Swamp. The adventurers in Daven's Reach have begun their travel to the Onsallas outpost, an Ulven garrison on the edge of the mordok infest Dirge Swamp. There is much information that has yet to be discovered regarding the Mordok shaman's intentions and the journal that was discovered near Daven's Reach.
The game was filled with vicious Mordok and many had a hard time finding them in the realm since they blended in so well this time of year. You had to be careful to not be lured into a trap while pursuing one as they commonly lead you to a group of them or into an area that was really hard to fight in.
The Ulven race shows the toughness of the realm. They are short tempered and brave. Many Ulven had some of the best gear for this time of year.
Characters had to decide who was friend and who was foe like this NPC who had a camp on deep in Mordok territory. Many quests, clues and story-lines are based off the in game characters. The only way to find out parts of the story or to know who is behind what is to make sure you ask around for clues. Last Hope does a great job of having NPC's in the know...
What happens when the 2nd day begins and half the camp have not come into game yet? Some brave (or foolish) humans plot to take over the Ulven outpost. It is common in games like this for players to create new plots if the originals are stalled or changed. It is part of the reason why LARP is so fun. The concept of the game has a backbone but everything else is formed by the players.
In this example the group of humans knocked out the Ulven in a strategy attack. The idea was not to kill them but rather to switch the power dynamic. This was a great plan but little did we know that the main part of the outpost was walking down the hill (late 2nd morning entry) and the humans were caught in the act.
Without a reason why they did what they did the unforgiving Ulven slaughtered all the humans in the act and tossed the dead bodies outside the gate. The entire scene was a fantastic morning rush to the game and woke everyone to great amount of action which helped set the pace for the rest of the day. LOTS of fighting, brawling and fast paced activity filled the 2nd day.
Trained and choreographed brawls are common by the experienced players of the game. It is great action to watch and be part of. Many of these scenes result in story changes, re-writes and editor drinking problems as it can change the entire course of the history of any given race, class or plot. Here we see a brawl of honor being acted out from 2 skilled players. It is not recommended that new players take part in this type of role play without practice with an admin etc.
When choreography goes arai, blood capsules turn into real blood. The end of this scene went as planned but with unintended results. The players didn't miss a beat however and rolled with the actual injury making the role play a real life event. Only after the game, out of character did many learn that the blood in the picture was real from a fist full of Ulven when a fist slipped. Everyone thought this brawl played out awesome and the "no pain no gain" saying git to a tee. These players are really good friends out of game and they had a blast making this scene unforgettable!
To learn more about the Last Hope group, visit their website www.lasthopelarp.com and join in the action! You can also see them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/186910084691991/
Please be sure to write a comment!
