Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
LIVE ACTION ROLE-PLAYING
LIVE ACTION ROLE-PLAYING. A live action role-playing game (LARP) is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions. The players pursue goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world while interacting with each other in character. The outcome of player actions may be mediated by game rules or determined by consensus among players. Event arrangers called gamemasters decide the setting and rules to be used and facilitate play.
Inspired by tabletop role-playing games and genre fiction, the first LARPs appeared in the 1970s. The activity spread internationally during the 1980s and diversified into a wide variety of styles. Play might be very game-like or more concerned with dramatic or artistic expression. Events could also be designed to achieve educational or political goals. The fictional genres used varied greatly, from realistic modern or historical settings to fantastic or futuristic eras. Production values were sometimes minimal, but could involve elaborate venues and costumes. LARPs ranged in size from small private events lasting a few hours to large public events with thousands of players lasting for days.
In 2011 COMISKEY PARK was transformed into "Halbren." On Saturday afternoons as many as twenty participants gathered to engage in combative games from capture the flag to chess. "Halbren" was a Belegarth realm meaning that no role-playing took place on the field, although each person had a field name. Combat-oriented Belegarth realms could also be found in Davenport; Madison, Wisconsin; and Chicago.
In field combat, a person hit on an arm had to hold it behind his/her back. Being hit on a leg meant continuing battle on one knee. The loss of multiple limbs or a strike to the torso meant death. Padded weapons were either hand-made or purchased. Large, two-handed weapons ordered online could cost from fifty to one-hundred dollars.
The Dubuque realm allowed children to participate. The end of the day was generally marked by a meal with participants trading ideas about tactics or continuing to practice techniques.
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Source:
Gloss, Megan. "The Realm of Halbren," Telegraph Herald, September 7, 2014, p. 1E