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Salon du Larp House: Charm School playtest

It’s 1925 and some experienced grifters—hustlers, sharps, and general crooks—gather to teach a group of younger, less-experienced con artists the tricks of the trade. Of course everyone brings their own bag full of secrets, and sometimes the best con is the one you don’t even know you are running…

Professors teach their signature cons, honed over years of practice, to promising new comers.

Students can gain experience, insight, and possibly a mentor as they learn various cons.

And as anywhere old and young gather, stories will be shared, grudges aired, and feelings bared.

What

Charm School is a game about being low-down dirty-rotten crooks who exchange tips, stories, and grudges. Sometimes the best con is the one you don’t even know you are running.

Run Time: 3 hours, including 90 minutes active play time
Players: 6–10
Facilitators: 2, who play as well
Tone: Self-serious characters played in a light-hearted way

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of such films as: The Sting, The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Now You See Me, Catch Me If You Can, The Brothers Bloom, or the Ocean’s Eleven franchise.

Written by Jason Morningstar
Organized by Kevin McIntrye and Kelley Vanda
With admin support from Katherine Shane and Jon Cole

This event is a playtest. Charm School isn’t totally finished, though it will be a complete play experience. There might be some missing pieces or rough patches in play. If this game sounds interesting to you even though it is not in its final form, we will be very glad to have you join us!

When

Saturday March 25th, 2023, from 1 to 5 pm Continue reading “Salon du Larp House: Charm School playtest”

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Larp House Presents: The Harvest Festival

The hands of person with pale skin wearing blue uses blue clay on a rustic wooden table to create molds for silver charms.

A rural village craftspeople prepare for the annual Harvest Festival. At the festival each craftsperson will present their proudest works to other members of the community as a symbol of gratitude, forgiveness, or apology.

During the day, you sit with an elder perfecting your craft and seeking advice from your peers about your personal life. At night, wander the cozy streets of the hamlet to visit with other villagers to put that advice into practice (for better or for worse). After the third day, we will celebrate the Harvest Festival and give away the things we created.

What

The Harvest Festival is a pastoral game about interpersonal conflict and support networks. Inspired by Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, join us to live out a hygge cottagecore fantasy for one afternoon.

Written by Marshall Bradshaw
Organized by Jon Cole

When

Saturday January 7th, 2023, from 1 to 4pm

The fingers of a person with pale skin delicately manipulate wet clay on a pottery wheel. The hands are wet, covered with shiny clay.

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: The Harvest Festival”

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Larp House Presents: Glamourous Night

People dance in a dimly lit room. Two move lean into one another, sharing weight. One person the the foreground thrusts out an outstretched hand to another person.

In the old, old, half forgotten times, magical beings spin helplessly through realms of music and magic. Tragic are they! These wizards, fae, humans, and magical animals do not see that they already possess the power to change themselves. To take control of their vulnerable situation, each group dominates the minds of the others in turn, each more wickedly than the last. Mind control scars both the leader and the follower, but each has a chance to heal. In the end, only True Love can redeem them and break their bonds. When they have the chance to escape, will they want to?

What

Glamourous Night is an immersive game about hurting others, and having a chance to redeem yourself for 8 to 30 players. It is an abstract, mostly non-verbal game that is played to music. Players use two movement techniques to resolve their characters’ conflicts, either mutual spell casting or mind control. Players will be on their feet and moving during most of the three hour workshop and the two hour game.

The setting is a fantastical medieval Europe where all the folk tales are true. The characters are powerful magical beings who go on an accidental journey between dimensions. They are tempted to mind control each other before escaping, scarred. Only True Love can break mind control bonds and redeem their actions. Finally, each character decides which of the three dimensions they will make their new home.

Written by Jon Cole
Organized by Steve Stolpman and Jon Cole

When

Saturday January 28th, 2023, from noon to 5pm

Read on for more details!
Continue reading “Larp House Presents: Glamourous Night”

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Larp House Recommends: Voting (updated)

Woman megaphone, caption: VOTE Make Your Voice Heard

 

The year is 2022, and it is a world of darkness. The lives of marginalized people are threatened by the cruel and the violent. Unjust social structures grow increasingly brazen in their oppression. Systemic inequality runs unchecked.

Will you sit idly by as selfish monsters assault those less powerful? Or will you stand and be counted among those who demand a more considerate, nurturing, inclusive society? Your chance to play the most important role of all.

What

Democracy, a live-action exercise in civic responsibility for millions of participants

When

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Where

At your local polling place

Registration

You can check and make sure you’re registered to vote with the Minnesota Secretary of State.

If you haven’t registered yet, it’s not too late. In Minnesota, you can register at the polls, but be sure to bring current proof of residence.

This event works better when you bring friends. Talk to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to attend this event! Sign up for get out the vote canvassing together!

Continue reading “Larp House Recommends: Voting (updated)”

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Larp House Recommends: Make A Scene! Anthologies Kickstarter

Illustration of a group of brightly colored abstract human figures in various dynamic poses

Back in February of last year, our friends at Minnesota scenario festival Make a Scene! were very hopeful for another amazing festival. The festival selected the theme of gender diversity, and recruited incredible scenarios that were supposed to premiere at the festival in August 2020. While the festival could not happen, all the creative energy of creating seven new scenarios did! As a result, Make a Scene now has a great way to bring those scenarios, and also the premiere scenarios run at the festival in 2019, directly to you in two amazing books!

The books feature original illustrations, and anyone who is interested in larp and role-play will want these in their library. Most of these scenarios don’t require elaborate props or costumes, are suited for small group play and will be ready to run with your friends when social distancing restrictions have ended.

Please come and check out the Make a Scene anthologies Kickstarter, launching February 16th!

Make A Scene Larp Anthologies
Two books of original larps written for Minnesota’s live-action scenario festival
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Congratulations 2020 Golden Cobra winners!

The winners of the 2020 Golden Cobra Challenge have been announced. Congratulations to our Larp House alumnae!

Best Game that Transcends Distance / Brings Us Closer:
Voyagers: a larp duet, by Margo Gray

Best first weird larp for people who have only played D&D so far:
To Boldly Hakuhō, by Wendy Gorman

You can see all the winners here, and download the submissions here.

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Larp House Presents: College of Neraidology

girl lying in grass examining something with magnifying glass

This event has been cancelled.

Dearest Members!

We are thrilled to announce an incredible opportunity to advance the burgeoning field of Fae Studies! The Minnesota College of Neraidology is seeking scholars and observers to take part in a field trip to determine the nature of faerie activity. A possible colony of Fae has been reported in the backyard of a home in Richfield. We will gather (with the homeowners’ generous permission) on Saturday, August 29th at 1:00 PM for a one hour Site Inspection followed by a shared discussion of findings.

Data may take many forms and we recognize that creative extrapolation is a key part of the scientific method in regard to neraidology. In particular, we wish to know:

  • What species of faerie dwell in the area (sprites, gnomes, leprechauns, brownies, etc)
  • What habits they may have (dances, mushroom tending, animal husbandry)
  • What locations they favour (hidden hollows, man-made structures, natural wonders)
  • What tools, items or trinkets they have used (coloured stones, unusual feathers, shiny items)
  • Is this in fact a true fae colony, or merely a neurotic homeowner plagued by sparrows and mice?

Once the hour is complete, all participants are expected to present their findings to each other and form a cohesive theory to present to the College. We expect that the work of all participants be given equal weight.

To ensure the safety of students, faculty and guests, and of our delicate subjects of study, strict rules for masking will be required to prevent accidental Fae Inhalation and observers will be asked to maintain 6 feet of separation to avoid trampling evidence.

Further details as to the location of the study site will be provided if your application to the observation team is accepted.

Sincerely,
Sir Francis Cobblesworth
Dean of Neraidology (Faerie Studies)

What

A special socially-distanced adaptation of Royal College of Neraidology, a whimsical outdoor game about faerie studies for three to six players.

Written by Ivan Nevill
Organized by Katherine Shane

When

Saturday, 29 August 2020 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Rescheduled: Saturday, 12 September 2020, from 1 pm to 4 pm

This event has been cancelled.

We will set aside Sunday as a rain date.

Where

A private home in Richfield, Minnesota. Details will be provided to registered attendees.

Registration

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: College of Neraidology”

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Solmukohta 2020 online

Solmukohta 2020, the world’s premier conference for Nordic larp, has been cancelled as the world locks down for COVID-19.

Instead, the organizers of Solmukohta are bringing the lectures and presentations online! These events are open to the public. You don’t even need a ticket to Finland! Set your alarm clock* and hear from some of brightest minds in larp.

*Note that all times are Eastern European Summer Time, 8 hours ahead of Minnesota. The schedule runs Friday morning though early Sunday morning. Be ready to wake up at 3 am this weekend!

Solmukohta 2020 online programme
Solmukohta might be cancelled physically, but that doesn’t stop us! We are preparing...

 

"Please wear clothes on a video or video chat."
This would have seemed like on odd reminder a month ago. #quarantinelyfe
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Larp House Workshop: Larp Jam ONLINE

Mason jar labeled "Larp Jam"

Have you ever seen a reality TV cooking competition? Each team has to cook up a larp using a secret ingredient. Then the “dishes” are rotated between teams of chefs, who have to keeping working on a “meal” they didn’t start.

LarpJam is great for roleplayers, people interested in game design, and folks who like collaborating in small groups.

In a matter of hours people with no larp design experience can create awesome, fully-playable larps!

What

LarpJam, a collaborative game-design workshop where you create your own live action roleplaying games, for 6 or more participants

Designed by Jon Cole

Facilitated by Katherine Shane

This LarpJam will be run completely online! We’ll use real-time collaboration software like Google Hangouts and Google Docs. You’ll need to have an Internet-connected device that can run these applications, probably something with a keyboard so you can chat and write at the same time, and a webcam.

When

20 March 2020, from 6 pm to 9 pm, CDT Continue reading “Larp House Workshop: Larp Jam ONLINE”