Refund Policy

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We will work with a player who requests a refund on a best-efforts basis to find a player off the waitlist (or a new applicant if properly screened) to take their spot. If such can be arranged, the non-deposit portion of their ticket ($100) will be refunded.

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Food

​No external food allowed on site (safety/medical snacks will be available)

Buffet-style lunches at Reckless Noodles Denver.

 

Expected Participant Count

On-Site Staff: 10

NPC’s: 3

Players: 105

 

​Mechanics

 

In summary, this is a near-Nordic LARP. While certain cues and guiding words will be used to help guide negotiations, every conflict will be resolved via negotiation between players. Staff will be on hand to help mediate as necessary, but we will strongly encourage and empower players to make the best narrative decision for the participants’ experience.

 

While we will not be using a formal mechanic system, those familiar with the FATE system used in the Dresden Files TTRPG will see where we drew inspiration.

 

Fate and Power

A cold chill shot up their spine as the woman rounded the corner, and it had nothing to do with the sudden drop in temperature…

 

Some individuals are granted power, while others have the capability to invoke free will and bring about change. But the two tend to balance, giving a symbiotic relationship between various supernatural powers and the mortal kith.

 

Fate and Power will be represented by bracelets worn on the left (Power) and right (Fate) wrists. This allows for a player to get a sense with a glance of who is standing before them. A mortal encountering Mab for the first time would feel her awesome aura of power, while the Queen of Winter may sense a mortal’s potential impact on the world. 

 

Neither of these will have a firm mechanic, but rather are there to help guide negotiations. Players are never compelled to accept a negotiation based on Power/Fate, though they should take those indicators into account to help negotiate a fun and reasonable outcome.

 

Influence

Oh, you poor little morsel… you have the stink of the Red Court on you.

 

Supernatural entities may have ways of setting hooks in their prey, and others may have the ability to sense that influence. This could manifest in a supernatural sense, or a change in behavior caught by mundane observation. 

 

Players will have information in their character document that give them an idea of what they could know about, but it is ultimately the decision of the player whether or not they would notice the influence on the other party. If in doubt, lean towards what creates the most drama/fun for all parties in the scene.

 

Negotiation

As mentioned above, all conflicts will be resolved via negotiation. Each of you will be Directors of your character as they fulfill their part of a greater story. While pre-planning scenes is discouraged, pre-negotiation is allowed if a known conflict is approaching and the participants want the execution to go smoothly. The objective should always be quick, but deliberate and considerate decisions made to keep the story moving. 

 

A common fear for those not familiar with this style is rooted in trust. If a player approaches a negotiation in bad faith, it can spoil the experience for others. We will be demonstrating the effectiveness of these techniques in pre-game workshops, but also encourage you to focus on the practical truths. We are all here to provide a good time for each other, and the best stories will come from those who actively promote the experiences of their scene partners. Those who make sacrifices (also known as Play to Lose) and give ground to make a scene fun for others find themselves propped up and sought after in the future. This is a community that builds on itself and lives on the reputation of its participants.

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Key Words

​As a general rule, explanations and questions should stay in character. If you are confused in real life, you wouldn't 'go out of character' and ask for clarification, you'd just ask! This is the behavior we want to encourage, making the game as seamless and immersive as possible.

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Candidly - This code word signifies 'I'm lost OOC, please help' and/or 'please clarify this world lore'. Again, just asking normally is preferred, but if you are in a situation where your character should know something and the player does not, this word signifies the character are not trying anything sneaky, the player just needs help.

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Example

Merlin - "We must keep our eyes out for doppelgangers, they could be any one of us! This is not my first time handling them as Merlin, and it won't be the last."

Gatekeeper - "Speaking of, how long have you been the Merlin?"

Merlin eyes him suspiciously - "Gatekeeper... you've been a member of the White Council since my ascension..."

Gatekeeper - "Candidly, I am simply having a forgetful moment, could you please refresh me?"

Merlin - "Oh, of course."

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It Can Be Seen/It Is Known - Not everyone knows all the world lore, especially when we're creating a bunch of new stuff for a short game. To avoid OOC confusion and unnecessary IC debate, a stipulated fact of the world can be stated with 'It can be seen' or 'It is known'. Remember, the default is to explain in character as normal, but these keywords are an OOC affirmation that the statement is a known fact in the world. This is not meant to be a way to prove your character is not lying about a concealed fact/disputed situation, but rather to confirm any confusion over this IC matter is due to lack of OOC knowledge about the setting.

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Examples

Wizard - "If you agree to these terms, we will release the Great Lord Kukulcan to your custody."

Red Court - "I am unfamiliar with this Lord..."

Wizard - "They are also known as the Red King."

Red Court, whose player is unaware of that name, but whose character would not be tricked if a false name was given - "Is it known this is their name?"

Wizard - "Yes, it is known Great Lord Kukulcan is the Red King." This confirms OOC to the Red Court player this is a known fact in the world.

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Mobster - "Oh my god, someone help!"

Fae runs in - "What is the matter?"

Mobster, while holding a handkerchief to his nose - "Thank god you're here! As it can be seen, I've been badly beaten up and my clothes are torn up. Can you help me?!"

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For the above, if there is a planned scene/encounter, we recommend getting appropriate props, costume changes, etc. to create a 'show don't tell' for new entrants to the scene, however in the event something spontaneous happens, the above can quickly clarify what folks are seeing.

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Topics and Themes

Racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry

The 1920s were an era where bigotry was rampant, and we do not want to whitewash that aspect of history. Therefore, racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia will be part of the backstory for some characters. As part of the character surveys, we will ask if you want to have a character who’s experienced various forms of oppression, or if you’d rather avoid that.

Because such oppression may be a part of a character’s history, it's a topic that may be discussed during game. If a conversation is uncomfortable for any reason, we encourage players to protect themselves and use the safety techniques described below to opt out of that conversation. Please also be cognizant of your surroundings when discussing such topics.

If you wish to play on racism, sexism, or other forms of bigotry, you MUST negotiate such scenes ahead of time with your fellow players. If you want your character to be the target of bigotry, we encourage you to find players who are comfortable playing bigoted characters, and discuss the specifics of what you all are and are not comfortable acting out. Workshops will discuss negotiation skills, but we encourage players to reach out to each other before game, as this is a sensitive topic and should be treated with respect. During game, players will be provided stickers to put on their nametags that show that they are open to a negotiation around experiencing or acting out bigotry.
Any scenes wherein one character directs bigotry towards one another must gain the consent of all participants, including any witnesses. You must ensure that non-consenting players cannot accidentally walk into such scenes. Please also see the policy on slurs below.

To be clear: using in-game actions as a veil for out-of-game bigotry is NOT acceptable, and will not be tolerated.

Slurs

​With many thanks to On Location 1985:
While we do not ever condone the use of slurs out of character, we feel erasing it from the history of the world entirely is also doing a disservice to the difficult narratives we are telling. However, no one should be subject to hearing slurs OOC or IC without full consent, warning, and safety measures. Therefore, hate speech or slurs MAY NOT BE USED unless both parties are consenting to the encounter AND FULL CONSENT is gained from ANY PARTY who may overhear the encounter. We recommend it only be used in whispered moments or private scenes between TWO FULLY CONSENTING PARTIES. If there is any risk a non-consenting party may overhear, do not use the planned language. After a scene is finished wherein a slur has been used, each player must check in with the other and debrief together if necessary. Hate speech and slurs are defined as words or language which would stop a common conversation with discomfort when used. As ever, if you aren’t certain, it’s safest not to use the word. 

Sexual Violence

While sexual violence is not a major theme of this LARP, it is a part of the Dresden Files universe thanks to the White Court, Fae, and many others. For this game, scenes containing sexual violence will be permitted in certain, clearly-marked locations. Discussion of sexual violence may take place anywhere, but please be cognizant of your audience, and avoid explicit discussions unless you have the consent of everyone involved and have ensured that no one can walk into the discussion. Consent of the participants in the discussion may be achieved by a group “Ok Check.”

If you are interested in potentially playing on this theme, we will provide red stickers for your nametag. If someone is not wearing a red sticker, do not approach them for out-of-game negotiations around sexual assault.
We encourage players who want to play with this theme to negotiate with their fellow players ahead of time, as it’s a theme that many of our players may not have encountered in game before. Discuss what would be enjoyable, engaging, or otherwise produce the story you want, and what your hard limits are – remember, boundaries must always be respected, and can be changed at any time.
During any scene, we encourage players to use the safety mechanics to increase or decrease intensity as desired.

 

Power and Powerlessness

​Some of the characters in the game have immense power, and many abuse it; others have very little. Some characters may be beholden or in debt to others, or otherwise at their mercy. As part of the character survey, we'll ask if you are interested in being on either side of such a power dynamic. Players who opt into this kind of play must negotiate boundaries ahead of time with their co-players.

Hard Limits

​No genital contact
Nudity - Regardless of gender, wear underwear/conceal your genitals at all times. Nudity above the waist is acceptable

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Safety Mechanics

We will have several mechanics to streamline game play and help players keep themselves safe.
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Look Down
Shield your eyes with your hand to leave or enter a scene unobtrusively (for instance, if you need to use the restroom, or have decided that you’re not comfortable with the direction the scene is going). Players should ignore someone using Lookdown, and not comment on the character’s presence or absence.
Nonverbal: Tap out to create distance/opt out of a current experience. You can also verbally say 'Tap Out'
These will be demonstrated during our pre-game workshops

OK Check-In (Optional)
​This is an optional mechanic. Make the OK sign with your hand to check in with players who look to be having a hard time. Players can respond with a thumbs up, a thumbs down, or a ‘meh’ hand. Thumbs up means yes, I'm great; thumbs down means nope, not okay; meh means I don't know and should be treated as a no.

Sanctuary

We will have an off-game Sanctuary room, stocked with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, where players can go whenever they need a break or feel overwhelmed. A member of the Safety staff will be present in the room to help if necessary.