I shall make this post a long one so go grab a cup of tea or coffee. And when I say long I mean one that in a minimal way takes together everything that has happened since my last post. If it were purely up to me it would be a trilogy sold in stores. But because I don't really give a fuck about you, but I pretend I do, I shall be limited to one full page. Got the cup ready yet? Here goes:
My first LARP was called Vampire IV. This experience was....interesting. I went there day earlier and ended up helping the GM's with some preparation. I skip the next 30 pages where I would describe all the foods I helped to make and the rest of the "I am so cool, look at me!" chapter. The place itself was a schoolhouse we had gotten permission to use. It also included a bar and a disco hall. Yeah I know. Don't ask me. I made the same WTF face. Anyways. Skipping another chapter that would describe how much fun we had going to store and buying it half empty and going back to the schoolhouse with 3 or more shopping carts.
Now to the LARP itself, which began far too late for me. As I had no sleep or rest for previous 3 days. I was dead on my feet and the place was damn cold. I hardly remember much about the LARP and everything ended up being a huge mess. I do remember getting hypothetically back stabbed though, by my so called role partner. Fail. The game itself was quite a fail in my eyes, even though the preparing was cool. Seemed like a soap opera which u see from the middle of the series for the first time. But I don't mind. I found epic cool people there! 90% of the LARP community I met there ended up being extremely wonderful people and I shall direct my WIN and SUCCESS and EPIC to them. In short it is my way to thank those people for being who they are. Thats where I skip another chapter full of the descriptions of those people and names ETC.
When I got home I was drop dead for 24h+. The End.
And yes I will probably edit and add a lot more here when I remember. And of course (don't mind the quick thought jump) Nenya was there. Thanks.
Day - 26. June 2009 my second LARPing started.
Perfect. And that would make the next two books in the trilogy. Costumes were perfect. Complete WIN. People were perfect. My garrison (yes I was the nameless footman, but the more epic was my role) was perfect. The orcs were perfect. The place was perfect. The mosquitoes were perfect in a not so perfect way but still! The food was perfect. Or so I heard. As a footman you don't exactly get to roam around the King's chambers and eat everything you see. We fed on cookies and fruits that kindhearted elves decided to give us sometimes. And that's one chapter I will not skip!
Chapter I: Preparation.
As always LARP preparation starts one day before the LARP itself. So I arrived to Rakvere where I was supposed to spend the night. I slept at a friends place, who was also part of the garrison. My personal duo mate. So to say he was the one to do the fighting and I was the one to attract the fight. Picture a situation where I stand alone. Weak looking. Orcs see me and laugh and charge. Then before they reach me I take a step aside and from behind me comes out this killer machine. Well that's pretty much what he is. His vision of role-playing is limited to buffer-swords and shields and taking down whatever calls itself the enemy and sometimes the title is not even needed. Back to topic. The preparation included shopping and making the costumes, which meant I had to stay up till 3 AM and sew myself the costume. Then I got to sleep till 6 AM. When I woke up I made pancakes, which I did not have time to eat. Nor did I have time to drink the coffee he had made. We left in a rush and met up with his two friends (the third had a drinking problem). They were nice too. And there I was thinking there are no more good or nice people left in the world. Either way one of them had a car and he was nice enough to drive us to the location in Sangaste. Location included a huge forest area and a castle.
Sangaste Castle from behind.
Sangaste Castle from the front.
Then we had some time to prepare ourselves and get the costumes and makeup on and stuff. When we were done the GM's gave us a short instructions and described everyone they thought we should know about.
High King of Noldor: Fingolfin
He was a High King of the Noldor in Beleriand,
second eldest son of Finwë,
full brother of Finarfin,
and half-brother of Fëanor,
who was the eldest of Finwë's sons.
His mother was Indis.
He founded the House of Fingolfin which ruled the Noldor in Middle-earth.
His wife was Anairë and his children were Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel and Argon.
Fingolfin was said to be the strongest, most steadfast,
and most valiant of Finwë's sons,
and some have named him the greatest warrior of all the Children of Ilúvatar.
~J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium - The Silmarillion.
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And more photos!
Chapter II-XX: Game Begin! Guarding...Eating...Fighting...Guarding!
Then the game started. Humans were transported to an unknown location, from where they had to travel to the castle. Me and the rest of the garrison were also put to work instantly. I started off with my duo partner as patrol around the castle. For one full hour we had to circle around that huge area. Ten minutes per circle. Then we had to guard the front door of the castle. Fun part was that someone was having a wedding there at the same time. Would you like to have a wedding while weird people in weird outfits and buffer swords guard the entrance or stalk around elsewhere and speak nonsense? I know I wouldn't! I would like to be one of those weird people though. Having an in-game wedding. But that is another story. Anyways another hour went past while feeding the mosquitoes and we finally got to guard inside. On both sides of the King's guest-room entrances. We saw food. We smelled food. We hadn't eaten a thing since....Friday? And we hadn't slept. Nice huh? Actually yes. So we were fed like poor military dogs usually. From palms. A few cookies here and there. OK so first 12h went with guarding the castle with no much action. I mean as an orc you would have to be really dumb to come outside while the sun shines. Some were though, but wasn't my action. There were some other stories going on inside the castle too, when the humans finally started arriving. No clue what they were though, since I was busy moaning about my hurting legs. And then finally the other half of the garrison switched the guard with us and we earned one hour rest. We used it wisely by walking back and forth between the inn (1km distance or so) until the food was ready. Using in-game money we bought ourselves some drinks and food. Food was edible, but I could probably chew on that meat for another two days and still not get done with it. The day was followed by another hour of guarding if I remember correctly. Including moderate amount of rain and mosquitoes or was it raining mosquitoes. By that time I was not able to make difference anymore and my feet were on fire and pain. At some point (I have a short term memory-loss) the night came and the orcs started to attack us. That meant about 2 hours guarding with orc attacks every 10 min. I got wounded into stomach and arm. My garrison lord lost a full arm. Poor dude. He still looked cool afterwards though. Which reminds me how at the very beginning some guy managed to block his vision with something and run into a tree. He was knocked out for real. Funny shit. At 3AM or a little later. Sleep time! Or something. Not like we slept much. 9AM back to guard! *enter another blackout* By that time I was dead and after we returned from the bear hunt with the King...Well I could not stand on my feet anymore. So after one circle around the castle patrol, I asked my mates to leave. And seemed like they where just as thrilled about guarding as I was and we left. *enter 1h car drive and a stop at Kassinurme* FOOD! McDonald's. *enter more car driving and location Rakvere* Yay! *enter waiting for bus while STILL dressed in the elvish outfit in public. Yes I was like that in McDonald's too. And yes I did smell like I had been in war for 3 days with no shower. No more comment on that topic. *enter about 2h bus drive and arriving at home (thanks dad for picking me up) around 9PM* YAY! *enter clothes off, bed, blackout till next day 3PM* WTF? Where did I drink myself to now? Oh wait...It's coming back to me.... *enter flashbacks of what had happened and pain in feet* Sigh. *enter recovery* The End.
-
A promise to myself I most likely intend NOT to keep:
"LARP MORE MORE MORE. Nothing else matters for now."
MORE PAIN! Wait...does this sound wrong or..?
PS: More LARP! That's more like it. But can't have one without the other. Which reminds me the pain of sewing some more at the beginning of the game....*crying face* I loved every bit of it. Every mosquito. Every pain in my feet, every hit I took, every bruise I got. Any time again! Oh yes. And I will be going to Finland on 9th. No birthday! HAHA! Well maybe at the end of the month. Or at the beginning of the next one. Ah and more. See that lovely grass on the castle pictures? After our battles with orcs it was a minefield. Insert black holes all over the place. Well it was wet and rainy and dark. Can you blame us?
