"All Roads Lead to Zenithstrand"
A GUIDE TO "IMMERSION"
Don’t Summon the Grim!
A Guide to Staying in Character.
So, you’re thinking about going to LARP for the weekend, and you’re expected to stay in character all weekend long? That can be a daunting task for someone who’s never done this before. Even seasoned larpers can have trouble staying in character for that amount of time. Learning to stay in character doesn’t come all at once, it takes practice and quite honestly, no one does it perfectly. There are however a few tricks and tips that can help any player, old or new, stay in character and contribute to an immersive experience for everyone.
10 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR IN GAME IMMERSION
1 - BE CONSIDERATE
Remember that breaking Immersion doesn’t just affect you. It ruins the game for everyone around you. Be respectful to those around you and find a private place to take a when you feel you need it.
2 -AVOID REAL LIFE REFERENCES
Avoid pop culture or obviously modern references. If you tell a story or sing a song, change the details or lyrics so it makes sense in the setting.
3 - PLAY A CHARACTER, NOT YOUR CHARACTER SHEET
When talking about your character sheet or skills in game, use in game terminology.
Use “I can use a sword well.” instead of “I have medium weapon proficiency”.
Use “I have fast hands” instead of “I have speed looting”.
Use “this lock has 4 tumblers” instead of “this lock is level 4”.
Avoid saying “I swing for 3”, if you’re skilled with your weapon.
4 - ACT IT OUT
Remember that damage numbers are an out of game concept that people have to use skills to determine. Those numbers represent damage: try and roleplay your injuries: a cut across your arm or a limp in your leg are easy to act out. A breached set of armour looks like it’s falling apart, so you shouldn’t tell people that it’s taken 30 points of damage, just that it’s not going to protect you unless someone fixes it first. A blacksmith will determine the actual number. If you need 3 points of healing, or 30, roleplay that you’re a little hurt, or very hurt as seems appropriate for the number, someone with anatomy will determine the actual number and heal you appropriately.
5 - CONSIDER A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
Give your character some strengths and weaknesses, and think about those things when you’re having trouble getting into or staying in character. Your character’s perspective on things may differ from your own. Considering or discussing your character's feelings or opinions can help you get to know your character and build a deeper immersion for you and those around you.
6 - HAVE A GOAL
Give your character everyday habits or mundane goals. Not everything is heroic and the small stuff really contributes to your, and others, immersion. It will also give you things to do when you aren’t solving puzzles or slaying monsters
7 - FIND YOUR OWN STORY
Don’t rely on plot for all of your fun. Roleplay that you generate on your own is valuable and can engage others. Sometimes plot might even respond to you, and if that happens, grab onto it and have fun, but don’t depend solely on it.
8 - CONSIDER THE LITTLE MOMENTS
Avoid out of game asides like offering to share food. Little breaks in character tend to lead to bigger breaks. Usually the little things can be done in game instead. Even the grumpiest character can tell someone to eat something before they die of starvation! Basic, everyday conversations can be done in character too, your character can talk about the weather or what they had for lunch.
9 - DECORATE YOUR SPACE
In your tent, use a sheet or a tablecloth to hide your out of game stuff. Add decorations to your camp or sleeping area or incorporate pajamas into your characters costuming - this will help you remember to stay in character even when you get tired!
10 - ACCESORIZE
Keep in game keepsakes and rep them! Whether it’s getting a prop to represent a meaningful item tag you receive, or asking plot to write you an item tag to represent a mundane item that was involved in some special interaction
MONSTERS OF NOTE
In Underworld, there are two types of monsters which you never want to summon: Trash Elementals and The GRIM. Both monsters serve out of game purposes and are there to help encourage the player base to stay in game and be respectful of shared spaces, via an in game method.
THE GRIM
The GRIM is a powerful, vicious, unstoppable demon that is summoned through infernal acts. (Infernal actions are those that are considered to be out of game: things that ruin other players immersion.)
If a player is not staying in character, an in-game way to remind them is to ask them not to perform their infernal actions or say their infernal words.
If these “infernal speeches” or “infernal actions” continue to the point where it begins to compromise player enjoyment or immersion, plot may choose to send out the GRIM. The GRIM will most often target those that summoned it, though there are stories of him taking out his wrath on others who are nearby.
GARBAGE ELEMENTALS
Garbage Elementals are strong and malicious beings who are summoned by unsightly messes. If players are negligent with their trash and belongings to the point where the mess becomes unsafe, or hinders the ability for others to utilize shared spaces, plot may deploy a Garbage Elemental. Although Garbage Elementals are not invincible, the only way to banish them (and prevent subsequent summonings) is to eliminate the source: the mess that summoned them in the first place.