Back On Track Together
What is a War Weekend and why do I dedicate 6 weekends a year to it?
Morning all!
As promised, here is my geek session talking specifically on what a War Weekend consists of.
The actual term "war weekend" is something I coined from Wayne, he called it that and it seemed alot easier to say without alot of explaination. Well, the curiousity has piqued and now, gladdly, I'll explain for the non-geekers out there. I'll do the best I can. And am glad to answer if you have questions.
It takes place at a 70 achre 4H camp normally used for summer camp. A bunch of cabins around a lake, and one large central "HQ" sort of building with bathrooms, kitchen, etc. During the day on Friday, dedicated individuals with better jobs than mine take some time off and begin the transformation. Tapestries are hung, decorations are layed, tables are arranged, and cabins are inhabited... the place goes from 4H camp to a rennaissance-style village in about 8 - 10 hours.
The rest of the Players arrive and begin getting into all sorts of colorful costumes, some with armour or chainmaile, some in gypsy dress, others still in furs and make-up body paints.... There are a great varying sort of races that people can play; elves, humans, cat-peoples, orks, goblins, and more. Really dedicated players DECK themselvs out, many designing and sewing their own costume pieces, others buying from skilled specialty seamstresses and tailors. Armor is normally pretty authentic, real steel plate maile, real steel or aluminum (much lighter) chainmaile... many of them are crafters who have spent countless hours interweaving the small aluminum circles into vests, coifs, shirts... Its really a sight to see, and you meet so many interesting people as you wait for game to begin.
Weaponry is the only thing you may stretch your imagination for. Generally speaking, the swords, spears, staffs, axes, etc... "look" the part, but are created with a core of PVC pipe for sturdyness, then covered in 1/2 inch (minimum) plumbers foam, secured usually with duct tape. After that, the crafter may choose to cover them with a nylon 'sock' or other decorations to make them look more authentic and personalized. They have to pass a strict, albeit amusing, testing phase before being accepted. The maker must be hit 3 times consecutively by a staff member as hard as they like. If they can stand it, its okay.
At or around 10, the lights get shut off (except the 'candles') and game is on. Instantly, all people involved are no longer their mundane 2009 working selves, but adventurers in a fantasy rennaissance world full of monsters and treasure. Once those lights go off... you are In Game until 2 AM Saturday when the bell in the center of the camp is rung. you better watch your back too, there are all kinds of tricksy people out there who want nothing more than to stab you in the back and take your coin purse. Game is back in session Saturday morning at 9 AM, and goes non-stop until 2 AM Sunday morning. Game begins once more at 9 AM Sunday and ends for good at 12 PM Sunday afternoon. This is to allow people a chance to rest at night and get ready for the next day's challanges. In all, there are a cumulative 24 hours of intense game play in any one War Weekend.
There is a cap of 120 "Players". Players pay to attend the game. These are people who become 1 single character all weekend. They have a story, they have goals, challanges, and are the people striving to survive in the world. Then you have "Cast". Cast comes to game for free, and are fed for free as well. I am Cast. We become the "everyone and everything else in the world" characters. I can be a wizard in the morning teaching lessons to Players, and a monster in the afternoon, trying to hunt and kill other Players. In any one weekend, I can play NUMEROUS roles, multiple races, and offer all sorts of interaction opprotunities to keep the Players entertained.
There is also Plot and Plot writters. Between each War Weekend, dedicated and creative individuals write stories, challanges, entertainment and encounters for the Players. These can be general interactions, or ones specified for individual Players. (this is why the players pay... they pay to be entertained by us) It is up to the Plot Writters to keep track of who did what last game, and what they need to do this game to keep the story going. Its a big responsibility, but its also very fulfilling.
The types of interactions vary greatly as well. Everything from lessons in magic and alchemy, to trade and polotics, to battle and war, to love and hate, to life and death... there are monsters of all shapes and sizes... people on stilts playing giants, people in masks and costumes playing skeletons, people in full body paint playing cat peoples.... The game is what you call a WYSIWYG game (pronounced Wiz-ee-wig). It stands for What You See Is What You Get. If you see a monster, it will be fully costumed and wearing appropriate masks and make-up. Players never have to question what they are looking at, because what they see is what it is. The Cast costuming area is extremely extensive with countless options from Noble Lords and Ladies to the lowly wild boars.
When bell does get run on Sunday (And believe me no one wants it to!!... I once saw the Players cut downt the bell ringer on his way to ring it... too funny)... Game is officially over for the event. Everyone gathers together and listens to announcments and get sort of a "closure" meeting from the owner of the game... then clean-up begins... and another 8 - 10 hours later, we leave the 4H camp the way it was when we arrived.
Well... there you have it. That is a very high-up rendition of a war weekend and what it consists of. If you're interested in seeing pictures and things of events, please feel free to head to www.mythicaljourneys.com and create a free login (no spam or anything) and check out the site. There's even pics of me on there, I'll point em out if you like.
Any questions?
As promised, here is my geek session talking specifically on what a War Weekend consists of.
The actual term "war weekend" is something I coined from Wayne, he called it that and it seemed alot easier to say without alot of explaination. Well, the curiousity has piqued and now, gladdly, I'll explain for the non-geekers out there. I'll do the best I can. And am glad to answer if you have questions.
It takes place at a 70 achre 4H camp normally used for summer camp. A bunch of cabins around a lake, and one large central "HQ" sort of building with bathrooms, kitchen, etc. During the day on Friday, dedicated individuals with better jobs than mine take some time off and begin the transformation. Tapestries are hung, decorations are layed, tables are arranged, and cabins are inhabited... the place goes from 4H camp to a rennaissance-style village in about 8 - 10 hours.
The rest of the Players arrive and begin getting into all sorts of colorful costumes, some with armour or chainmaile, some in gypsy dress, others still in furs and make-up body paints.... There are a great varying sort of races that people can play; elves, humans, cat-peoples, orks, goblins, and more. Really dedicated players DECK themselvs out, many designing and sewing their own costume pieces, others buying from skilled specialty seamstresses and tailors. Armor is normally pretty authentic, real steel plate maile, real steel or aluminum (much lighter) chainmaile... many of them are crafters who have spent countless hours interweaving the small aluminum circles into vests, coifs, shirts... Its really a sight to see, and you meet so many interesting people as you wait for game to begin.
Weaponry is the only thing you may stretch your imagination for. Generally speaking, the swords, spears, staffs, axes, etc... "look" the part, but are created with a core of PVC pipe for sturdyness, then covered in 1/2 inch (minimum) plumbers foam, secured usually with duct tape. After that, the crafter may choose to cover them with a nylon 'sock' or other decorations to make them look more authentic and personalized. They have to pass a strict, albeit amusing, testing phase before being accepted. The maker must be hit 3 times consecutively by a staff member as hard as they like. If they can stand it, its okay.
At or around 10, the lights get shut off (except the 'candles') and game is on. Instantly, all people involved are no longer their mundane 2009 working selves, but adventurers in a fantasy rennaissance world full of monsters and treasure. Once those lights go off... you are In Game until 2 AM Saturday when the bell in the center of the camp is rung. you better watch your back too, there are all kinds of tricksy people out there who want nothing more than to stab you in the back and take your coin purse. Game is back in session Saturday morning at 9 AM, and goes non-stop until 2 AM Sunday morning. Game begins once more at 9 AM Sunday and ends for good at 12 PM Sunday afternoon. This is to allow people a chance to rest at night and get ready for the next day's challanges. In all, there are a cumulative 24 hours of intense game play in any one War Weekend.
There is a cap of 120 "Players". Players pay to attend the game. These are people who become 1 single character all weekend. They have a story, they have goals, challanges, and are the people striving to survive in the world. Then you have "Cast". Cast comes to game for free, and are fed for free as well. I am Cast. We become the "everyone and everything else in the world" characters. I can be a wizard in the morning teaching lessons to Players, and a monster in the afternoon, trying to hunt and kill other Players. In any one weekend, I can play NUMEROUS roles, multiple races, and offer all sorts of interaction opprotunities to keep the Players entertained.
There is also Plot and Plot writters. Between each War Weekend, dedicated and creative individuals write stories, challanges, entertainment and encounters for the Players. These can be general interactions, or ones specified for individual Players. (this is why the players pay... they pay to be entertained by us) It is up to the Plot Writters to keep track of who did what last game, and what they need to do this game to keep the story going. Its a big responsibility, but its also very fulfilling.
The types of interactions vary greatly as well. Everything from lessons in magic and alchemy, to trade and polotics, to battle and war, to love and hate, to life and death... there are monsters of all shapes and sizes... people on stilts playing giants, people in masks and costumes playing skeletons, people in full body paint playing cat peoples.... The game is what you call a WYSIWYG game (pronounced Wiz-ee-wig). It stands for What You See Is What You Get. If you see a monster, it will be fully costumed and wearing appropriate masks and make-up. Players never have to question what they are looking at, because what they see is what it is. The Cast costuming area is extremely extensive with countless options from Noble Lords and Ladies to the lowly wild boars.
When bell does get run on Sunday (And believe me no one wants it to!!... I once saw the Players cut downt the bell ringer on his way to ring it... too funny)... Game is officially over for the event. Everyone gathers together and listens to announcments and get sort of a "closure" meeting from the owner of the game... then clean-up begins... and another 8 - 10 hours later, we leave the 4H camp the way it was when we arrived.
Well... there you have it. That is a very high-up rendition of a war weekend and what it consists of. If you're interested in seeing pictures and things of events, please feel free to head to www.mythicaljourneys.com and create a free login (no spam or anything) and check out the site. There's even pics of me on there, I'll point em out if you like.
Any questions?
I am now a HOME OWNER! 
Check out my House Blog!
Certified Obesity Help Support Group Leader
36 lbs from goal!
It does hold some similarities to SCA, except they're more of a 'club' group, where there are specific houses you belong to and attend their gatherings as part of that house. They do alot of re-enactments and displays at shows, and have alot of SCA only gatherings/cook-outs. SCA also uses real armor and weapons, as opposed to the saftey weapons at my LARPs. SCA is cool, I have several friends in it, and have once attemded a gathering as a guest. It was a good time, and I got to wear butt jinglies as a gypsy.
For the Non-geeks, I'll translate! SCA = Society of Creative Anacronisms. LARP = Live Action
Role Play
Similarities: Strange clothing, quasi-historical feel, combat exists
Differences: SCA combat hurts. LARP doesn't care about historical accuracy.
For the Non-geeks, I'll translate!
SCA = Society of Creative Anacronisms. LARP = Live Action Role Play
Similarities: Strange clothing, quasi-historical feel, combat exists
Differences: SCA combat hurts. LARP doesn't care about historical accuracy.
I am now a HOME OWNER! Check out my House Blog!
Certified Obesity Help Support Group Leader
36 lbs from goal!
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