Monday, June 30, 2008

Larping

I went to dinner with a couple of friends on Saturday and half way through our meal a large party came in and sat down next to our table. That’s not that interesting normally, but this group had just finished a “Larp” session and they were still in costume and character. (Google “Larp” if you don’t know.) Needless to say, it’s difficult to keep a straight face when the guy in the elf suit at the next table says “Give me a pint of your finest ale good sir”, instead of just ordering a coke. Or even worse, when a couple from the group has to break away and have a serious conversation in a vacant booth about why the cleric hadn’t healed the warrior at a critical point in a major battle sequence. Now, I admit that when I was a kid I used to have sword fights with sticks and we had life points and pretended that half of us were goblins, but I think there is a big difference from what I did then and what this group was doing on Saturday night. First, I never dressed up in a costume or got into character, but most importantly, I was ten years old. Not to be judgmental because everyone has to have their hobbies and to each his own, but I find this particular subculture extremely fascinating to observe. In fact, they are coming out with a movie documentary about it, which will be a must see.

1 comment:

John said...

"There's a fine line between clever and stupid." - Spinal Tap

Your honor, I submit as Exhibit A, the recollection of cousin Jeanette making a "phu phyu" sound while you and I were peacefully trying to play a game of Memoir 44 which to her look curiously like two guys in their 30s playing with army men. I like to believe Larp is on the stupid side and we are on the clever side, but I suspect many might disagree...