LARPing in Las Vegas

Perhaps one of the most intriguing things I've come across after waking from my decades-long RPG hiatus is the onset and popularity of 'LARP-ing'. LARP stands for Live Action Role Playing, where you get to dress up as your chosen fantasy character and participate in different games, meetings and events. It sounds simple enough, but creating the costumes, gear, and paraphernalia that make LARPing so fun and attractive to watch involves more than rummaging through your closet and finding makeshift items to call yourself a pirate. Avid LARPers bring with them a myriad of creativity, craftsmanship and artistry into the outfits and games they create. I was fortunate to have come across one such group that meet every Sunday on Sunset Park (corner of Sunset and Eastern Ave.), the Las Vegas Amtgard Terra de Votum (https://www.facebook.com/groups/TerraDeVotum/).

A little bit after lunch, things started to get interesting. Like traveling adventurers coming to rest under a common shady area by the side of a well travelled road they came. Warriors, monks, bards, healers and other colorfully outfitted characters trekked there, eager to partake in their weekly camaraderie. Even children were drawn to the activities to come and were quick learners on the battlefield. Events ranged from duels, to group battles to home-brew challenges. Getting hit on a limb, you lose use of that limb. Lose two limbs, you're dead. Get hit on the torso, you're dead. Same rule applies for the foam-headed arrows. There was also the use of magic, that came in the form of what looked like thin socks with foam balls in them (to create that trailing effect). The caster would declare the spell when thrown, and if target gets hit the spell takes effect. A hold spell will immobilize for 30 seconds, the "hit limb-torso" rule seems to generally apply to damaging spell attacks such as fireball or magic missile. The system relies heavily on the honesty system. If you're not true to the rules, then what's the point in role-playing right?

Apparently the world of LARPing runs much longer and deeper than I had previously thought. One of the members shared with me that she had been involved with various communities as early as the early 80's. That's about the same time I was in my RPG prime. Moreover, the organization and structure of LARP communities is outstanding. Ok, here's how it goes. For them the entire LARP "world" is referred to as Amtgard. Within this world there are kingdoms and Las Vegas belongs to the 'Kingdom of the Desert Winds'. The kingdoms are of course broken down into its provinces, and this particular group is the Duchy of Terra De Votum. Thus, Las Vegas: Amtgard Terra De Votum. There may be other "worlds" out there, but this group is in this one.

Interesting Links:
Amtgard
Kingdom of the Desert Winds
Las Vegas: Amtgard Terra De Votum

"Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!" - Macbeth

     What better way for me to start my journey than with a quote from my favorite Shakespeare play, Macbeth! "Methought I heard a voice cry - Sleep No More!"...and so my re-awakening had begun.

Shall We Play? The Games Store

     Actually, it was easy enough waking up. What I found difficult jumping back into the RPG scene was the unfamiliar landscape of which I awakened to. So I scoured the usual comic book stores and did  'Google' searches for websites of anything RPG in the Las Vegas valley. I was not disappointed. RPG is alive and well in my beautifully growing city. So diverse were the choices that it presented me with its own difficulty -where to start. I was overwhelmed at the many 'Meet Up' groups that ranged from die hard LARPers (a totally new concept to me), to groups seeking new players, to artists and I even found a club dedicated to RPG cosplaying! Eventually though I found my launch pad, a place not very far from my home. A gaming shop located in a quaint little commercial center in the northwest part of the valley called Shall We Play? The Games Store. Truthfully, I was a little intimidated to walk in knowing how "noob" I've become. So I took a deep breath and simply followed where 'the force' would lead me. After browsing shelf after shelf of games I was seeing for the first time, it ultimately guided me to that of where it all began, Dungeons & Dragons. When I got to the D&D section, what immediately struck me as odd was that I could not find a trace of 'Advanced Dungeons and Dragons'! Was I in an alternate universe where Gary Gygax still owned TSR? What's going on? ...What's that you say? What deep underground cavern did I just crawl out from? Well, I guess that would be my first lesson into this mad fray I now found myself in. I was educated by friendlies that AD&D was rebooted several times over since the late 80's. It had reverted back into its original name 'Dungeons and Dragons' then followed by multiple editions and some controversy. Luckily my first encounter was a happy and very patient man by the name of Derek (please forgive me if I spelled your name, bro.). He ran the store and appreciated my plight. He filled me in on general but important bits of information such as the upheaval of D&D ed. 3.5 advocates when the 4th edition came out. Advocates cried that 3.5's ease to convert to and from the Pathfinder system was substantial. He also filled me in that because of that crisis, the 5th edition came forth. Derek then invited me to return that coming Thursday if I wanted to join a session of D&D. I was like, "W-what! M-me, play?", so I did.

Two dice I had not seen before...six and four sided. 

I was very excited to get back home and tell my kids that we were invited to join a session of D&D. But before leaving, I had to get me some new dice! There were two new shapes I had not seen before. I had to get those. Time fast forwards to next Thursday and there I was again with my two boys. We were greeted by a rather cool group of players who were all to enthused to show us the ropes. There was even a guy who belonged to my generation of RPG ancients, We exchanged a few laughs on memory lane then at approximately 7:00pm the DM arrived and with a wave of his hands we suddenly had characters ready to go. Given that we played non-essential, quick generated minions didn't matter to us. We were in. The long hibernation was officially over and I was once again part of the story-telling collective. So as the storyline progressed and we delved deeper and deeper into the plot I noticed that though some of the rules and aesthetics had changed, many had not, such as the art of storytelling. I disliked sessions that focused too much on the technical. Those I know eventually degraded into pissing contests between the DM and players on who memorized the rule books more. Luckily, my re-entry was not like that. Our DM handled both rather well. One innovation that I rather liked on the player's experience was the concept of making individual cards for character class' spells and skills. It was a list that I could only once get by rummaging through the pages of the Player's Handbook. But one of the players showed me that you could get spells in decks nowadays. That I thought was awesomely convenient.

Another aspect that appeared to be a cool staple, was the use of figurines and dungeon environments. Back in the day, we would just use graphing paper, chess pieces or action figures (I remember Skeletor being used as a frost giant). Hand painted figurines offered an additional creative element of imagination and created a kind of connection with one's character via the effort and time given to paint each piece.
     So time flew and our impromptu session eventually came to an end. It's a good thing it was 'cause my wife was buzzing my phone already. The ogre was slain, but it was a feat attained at great cost to the party.

It was awesome! So with great sighs and congratulatory smiles to each other, we gathered our papers, figurines and paraphernalia's and called it a game.
     Things wrapped up with Derek in the background, content at how the evening had gone. He handed out curious looking tickets with serial numbers on it. Apparently you get these tickets for every time you attend a gaming session. He instructed us to register them on the actual 'Wizard's of the Coast' website to be eligible for promos and stuff. So with feelings of accomplishment my sons and I thanked everyone for welcoming us into the group. We will surely be back to continue our adventures for the next session, in two weeks.

3/13/2018
Mig Roces

My Journey There and Back

Original TSR 'Dungeons and Dragons' basic set 

        One lazy afternoon (some time around 1977), my cousins and I sat around the living room in a beach house our families visited every year during summer. It was an event we all really looked forward to annually since I could remember. I was eight years old around that time and I was enjoying the new found autonomy bestowed by my folks, to come and go as I pleased. So along with my same aged cousins, it was like a dream come true to be away from the watchful and restrictive eyes of our parents. But after an explosive week of seaside adventures and swimming we grew tired of the white sands, the smell of the fresh sea breeze, and calm aquamarine waters as only a tropical Pacific could provide. So there we sat, bored beyond belief, looking like Salvador Dali ornaments. But we had two more weeks to go. Oh gosh. Just when I thought I was going into torpor, there came some excitement. A late arrival to the beach house! It were the owners of the beach house (who incidentally were also my relatives). And with them came Mark, the eldest of my cousin brood and an authority amongst us. He was thirteen after all. Mark had just gotten back from a trip to the US and had tons of stories as always followed such trips. But the fanfare was short lived and things settled back down to the soothing sound of coconut trees swaying in the gentle wind. It seemed that we were all doomed to slowly gravitate back to our original spots, pulled helplessly like UrSkeks to the UrRu (...c'mon, if you haven't watched the Dark Crystal, watch it!) But it appeared Mark had one last surprise in store for us. He walked back from his room and called us to one of the empty tables. He had a green and purple colored box in his hands and I saw for the first time the incredible art on it. I was mesmerized. It seemed I was not the only one to notice the curious box as the rest of my cousins were also closing in. The art depicted a fantastic battle of what appeared to be a spear-wielding warrior along with a glowing handed magician locked in fierce combat with a smooth dragon. Now, I must admit that I was disappointed to see books and paper inside the box instead of a magic doorway that lead to the enchanted world from the Flight of Dragons, but when I saw the weird dice! Whoa! Mind blown! It even came with a crayon...you know, to color the dice. Never mind. Anyway, little did I know at that time that my life would be changed forever by some dice, some paper and sheer imagination. I continued my obsession with role playing games up until the late 80's, expanding my repertoire to include systems such as AD&D, Star Frontiers, Gamma World, Gang Busters, Top Secret, War Hammer and Shadowrun. I think out of all the games I used to play only War Hammer and Shadowrun are still around. So time flew and characters came, died or were forgotten. And finally the onset of adulthood successfully engulfed me, and everything RPG in my life came to a sudden and abrupt halt, like a +3 Arrow of Piercing that had found its mark.  My life that was once filled with so much adventures and imagination was gone. So there I was, quickly becoming a part of the responsible and grown-up realms of the 'Working Dead' but always with a gnawing feeling of deep emptiness. Many a path I took to fill the void in me, but for naught as wherest it came I knew not, until now. Decades past and through a random conversation with my own sons they mentioned an interest in this thing called role playing games, where one could play a character to contribute to the outcome of a story as it unfolded. Where the cold objectiveness of statistics blended ever so gracefully with the fluids of creation as orchestrated by a one, all powerful being - a Dungeon Master. And I said, "Ree- hee- heelee!" (Ace Ventura style). And so now the story has come full circle. Through the wisdom of my own sons, I had found the missing piece that had eluded me for what seemed like eternity. Once again I hear the clarion calls of kingdoms far far away. It is time for me to return to the magic realms. -Yeah, yeah, I know I've been gone for so long that I became disoriented when I saw that my Advanced Dungeons and Dragons had reverted back to its original name (...no 'Advanced' anymore), but was now on it's 5th edition at this time. But regardless. What was lost is now found. And if I must once again begin the journey anew as an acolyte, then so be it. So join me as I face new wonders in the world of role playing games. I am filled with great excitement at the thought that I shall explore even newer things since my awakening from my deep cryogenic sleep (...like LARP-ing. Wow, I've never seen anything like it!).


3/9/2018
Mig Roces