What should I Bring ?
Packing List:
- Toiletries: Soap, Towels, Toothbrush/paste, Hairbrush, makeup for your character.
- Costuming & Effects: Books, bags, Scales, weapons, accessories, black clothing (for Monster Time)
- Paper & Pencils
- Durable and comfortable shoes
- First Aid materials
- Phys Reps (Weapons, Books, Packets, Props, Costuming)
For New Players
We are excited that you will be joining us! If you haven’t already done so, please submit your character creation and email your history to plot@alteraawakens.com in advance. We know you have lots of questions and we want to make your experience as enjoyable as possible, so please read on.
Pre-Registering
It is strongly recommended that players pre-register for events. By pre-registering, you are letting the staff know how many people to expect, how much food to bring and how much space we need. You’ll also typically save $5 or $10 on the event and be assigned your cabin prior to check-in.
If you plan to attend as a Full-Time NPC, we truly appreciate you! Your accommodations will be covered but you still need to pre-reg to let us know you’re coming. Some food will be provided during games, but you may wish to bring some of your own food for snacks. Remember to bring your black clothing too, this is so we can more easily customize your NPC!
Accommodations
Most sites will have beds or bunk beds provided with twin size mattresses. You’ll typically share a cabin room with 4 or more other players so accommodations can be tight. A bath house(s) will be available for restrooms and showering.
Most cabins will have electricity but not air conditioning or heating so you may want to bring extra bedding and blankets, a space heater and more layers of clothing for cooler temperatures. Consider bringing a fan, bug spray, and sunscreen for warmer temperatures; trust us on this!
Costuming/Weapons/Props
Players in Altera Awakens strive for a period appropriate and thematic appearance to enhance and enrich their experience in the known world. For many players, creating the physical representation of their character is one of the most fun and exciting parts of LARPing – then there’s the fighting, of course! Some cultures/races/attributes may have specific makeup requirements as well.
Safety rules and guidelines for weapons can be found in the rules section. If you are not sure if your weapon or costuming meets safety standards, always be sure to ask.
Did Someone Say…Food?
Breakfast on Saturday are provided at a cost of $5 per meal. Breakfast will typically contain a large pot of oatmeal and pastries with coffee and orange juice. A group Feast will be provided in the Tavern on Saturday night for all players at no additional cost however, the Feast will be a potluck style so we ask everyone to contribute. If you have a special dietary need, please provide an item(s) that you will be safe to consume. The Game will provide the entree (meat-stuffs).
If you plan to attend Feast, be sure to sign up to ensure we get enough food for everyone. These are the only meals provided during the weekend, so many players will bring their own drinks and snacks for the remainder of the event. (Alcohol is strictly prohibited except on specifically designated “Beer Days”) If you need to refrigerate your items, please let us know during Check-In.
For our Full Time NPCs, don’t worry – your food is covered!
Note for everyone – depending on your play-style and the temperature, events can be physically demanding so please be sure to keep yourself hydrated and well fed.
Check-In
Once you arrive on site, you will begin check-in, getting in costume, and settling in to your cabin for the weekend.
Check-In will start as early as 8PM Friday night. This is where players will pick up their character sheets, any items or coin from their BGA, complete their production periods and sign up for Monster time (see below). Check-in can be time consuming and a bit chaotic, so please arrive as early as possible in order for the game to begin on time.
If you are one of our wonderful Full Time NPCs, you will head over to the Monstertown area after check-in.
Opening Ceremonies
Opening Ceremonies will begin at 10PM. This is where you will be introduced to the Plot Committee and hear about any announcements, rule adjustments or other pertinent information for that week’s game. Once the announcements have been made and if you are a new player, you will then be asked aside to learn about the safety rules and combat system and your weapons will be inspected for safety at this time.
Game On
After Opening Ceremonies have been completed, there is normally some free time until the game begins. “Game On” will typically begin at 11PM. Once Game On is announced, players are expected to be “in play” and in costume unless noted otherwise. During the game, players will get to know each other and their world through role-playing and other events. A merchant could come through town seeking to trade valuable goods or knowledge, or you could run into someone you knew in your past. You could also be attacked by trolls or a large dragon, or perhaps one of your fellow townspeople has “accidentally” summoned a demon nearby – you should probably go deal with that.
Missions or modules are also common. A module is a simulated event in which characters role-play and physically respond during a given situation. Many times you will face combat, traps, or puzzles, discover new items or spells or even speak with a NPC and gain valuable information. They are usually modeled after a greater plot line in which the player has expressed interest and are normally done with a small group of other players.
The Spirit of the Game
The best part of LARPing is our people! Our staff, players and volunteers are the best people all around and the events would not be possible without keeping in the Spirit of the Game. This means that each person remains conscious that we are all gathering for the weekend to have fun and enjoy a game in which sportsmanlike conduct and fairness are expected and players will be held to the highest standard.
Not keeping with the Spirit of the Game can lead to being asked to leave an event or being banned if there are multiple occurrences. This typically refers to cheating ex: not taking the appropriate damage or using more abilities than a player has been given.
If a ruling in combat is not agreed upon, there is a conflict between you and another player, or something else that could detract from the Spirit of the Game, please see a Marshal or a member of staff. They will help resolve the issue based on the rules, guidelines and in keeping with the aforementioned “Spirit of the Game.”
Monster Time
Altera Awakens relies on its players donating a small portion of their time (usually 3 hours) during a 3 day event to ensure fun for all. The game wouldn’t be fun for anyone without bad guys to fight, right? That being said, “NPC-ing” or “monstering” is how we keep the action flowing. This is when players (you) get to play the bad guys – cool right? You’ll arrive in Monster Town with other players who have signed up for that shift and be given roles/stats for your troll/org/elemental/spider/demon/etc. You all will then wander around the town, attempting to destroy anything or anyone that gets in your way.
During this time, costuming, props, weapons and makeup will all be provided and each player needs to come dressed in solid black clothing.
* If you are unable to NPC due to physical limitations or personal preference, please contact a staff member and another helpful activity will be assigned.
Closing Ceremonies
Closing Ceremonies will happen at the end of each event, typically late Sunday Morning (for 3-day events). At this time, we will gather to share our appreciation and say our goodbyes as well as communicate any further announcements that need to be made. Once Closing Ceremonies are completed, everyone is expected to help clean up the site, including their cabins. Be sure all garbage is put away and the cabins are cleaner than you found them – we want to be respectful to both our hosting site as well as to the environment.
After the Game
Post event, each player should complete the Checkout and BGA forms.Players have two weeks to complete the Checkout form.
Feedback helps the staff will get to know more about the events in which your character participated, what they enjoyed, what they didn’t and suggestions for future games. Constructive feedback is always welcome because we want to be sure our players have the best experience possible.
In the character updates section, your character’s experience and hard work finally pays off! You will have the opportunity to use your character’s experience points (XP) to learn new abilities – whether it’s a new craft, martial school, magical ability or combat trait, your character gets stronger at every event!
You’ll then complete the BGA or “Between Game Action”. This is where each character gets to attempt to gather some additional information of some kind (by researching, going on quests, etc), gain more production, etc. Players can use their character’s abilities and proficiencies (or everyone’s, if in a group) as well as any in-game props or knowledge they have gained to help them better complete their tasks.
Before the next game, the plot staff will write back to each of the players with what action items were successful. Occasionally, this can lead the players to modules at the next game to fully roleplay your character’s quest. At the next event, you will receive any gold your character has made as well as a physical tag for completed production actions.
What do I do until the next game?
We know players can get antsy between games theorizing and waiting for the next event so we encourage players to stay in the loop between games by participating on the forums and the Discord chat, MeWe group or Facebook page. By doing so, everyone can participate in an exchange of information learned in previous games and BGAs, share ideas and theories and plan their next adventure. Sometimes the player community will even get together at a local restaurant or someone’s home between games to discuss the game or make props and weapons together.
Volunteer! We can always use players’ help between games! If you’d like to earn some extra cookies, we have plenty of options for you to do so. Making spell packets, donating weapons, costumes, props, foodstuffs (for NPCs or players), plot writing, etc. We also have an Amazon Wishlist available for bigger ticket items we still need. Each game take a lot of time, energy and money to prepare – we find that players enjoy games more when they help it all come together.