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| Adult |
Someone with a physical age of
18 plus and in some role play systems 16 plus.
To be fair most systems treat 16 years and upwards
as adults. |
| Adventure |
A game run for a party of players.
An adventure can be linear or free-form and
for most systems will include combat and non-combat
encounters. |
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| Banquet (event) |
A themed or in character banquet often with
some plot associated. |
| Baron Or Baroness |
An individual who has been granted a small
to mid-sized area of land and given a distinct
title indicate their being important and belonging/owing
allegiance to a kingdom or realm. |
| Blue Meanie |
Very nasty insectoid monster in the Mayfest
System |
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| Character |
Persona in the game. More often than not played
by a player. For example if you played a fighter
called Ooer, Ooer is the character and you are
the player. |
| Child |
In terms of payment or attendance at a live
role play event is usually someone with a pysical
age of under 16 years. |
| Circle of Treachery |
A popular live role play game (especially
with youngsters). Players stand within a circle
armed as they like. A referee or starter starts
the game and the last left 'alive' wins! Very
often agreements are made between players to
join forces until just they are left standing.
Very often such agreements are broken when one
player sees another player's unprotected back!
Hence its name! |
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| Demon |
Evil creature from another dimension or plane
of existance. |
| "Double!" |
A call made in live roleplay systems during
combat. As a hit is made with the weapon, its
user cries, "Double!" so that the
target knows the weapon is dishing out two points
of damage. |
| D.P.C. |
Directed Player Character. A player character
who has some of their actions directed by the
organisors. |
| Drow |
Mainly dark skinned race with pointed ears.
Tend to live underground. Sometimes referred
to as Dark Elves. Have a matriarcal society
and many worship a god that thrives on pain! |
| Duchess (Female version Duke) |
An individual who has been granted a large
area of land and given a distinct title indicate
their being important and belonging/owing allegiance
to a kingdom or realm. Such individuals are
above Barons in most systems, their land usually
being made up of Baronies and other lands that
may be held by rich merchants or simply unowned. |
| Duke (Male version of Duchess) |
An individual who has been granted a large
area of land and given a distinct title indicate
their being important and belonging/owing allegiance
to a kingdom or realm. Such individuals are
above Barons in most systems, their land usually
being made up of Baronies and other lands that
may be held by rich merchants or simply unowned. |
| Dwarf |
Short, stocky and bearded. Often live underground.
Good at fighting, mining and masonry. Bad at
swimming. Like beer and gold. Hate water when
gathered in anything larger than a puddle. Grumpy! |
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| Encounter |
Usually on an adventure, an encounter is a
chance for players to interract with NPCs, monsters,
etc. For example, an attack by bandits, a room
to search, aid from a healer and so on. |
| Elf |
Mainly light skinned race with pointed ears
and a love of woods and forests. Think they
are a superior race, generally. Pretty good
with bows. |
| Event |
In the context used on this site only, any
LARP event that is not an adventure, banquet,
moot or festival. |
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| Faction |
Some events, usually festivals, divide players
into groups called factions. Each has it's
name and has characters either from the same
area or of the same mind or racial type.
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| Festival |
LARP festivals are static, i.e. held in one
place for the duration, involve a lot of people
and have features that are more relaxed (and
festive) than other LARP activities. For example
there are usually traders, maybe entertainment,
games and so on at a festival. Many folk want
to socialise, sit around camp fires and sing.
Some festivals have very large numbers of
players divided into factions. These factions
almost act as small countries in politics
and wars.
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| Fey |
The name given to the fairie folk at Mayfest
and some other systems |
| Fighter |
A fighter, in this context, is a person whose
career is fighting. In most systems it is a
character class. |
| Free-form (event) |
A free form event is a totally reactive event.
The event reacts to the players actions. |
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| Game |
This could be a game run within an event or
a reference to LARP itself. Live role play has
adopted many games and made some of them their
own. Mentioned in this glossery are, Circle
of Treachery, Idiot Ball and Juggers. |
| Goblin |
Small green humanoid creature, usually evil
and violent. Bit like a small Orc. |
| Golem |
Animated manufactured creature (kind of like
a robot) but can be made of things like wood,
clay or stone as well as metal. |
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| Halfling/Hobbit |
Short humaniod creature a bit shorter ann
less muscular (though not usually much tinnner)
than a dwarf with big feet and usually a need
for large quanities of food (come on you've
all seen Lord of the Rings). |
| Healer "Healer!" |
A healer is a person who can heal folk. During
a combat the cry of "Healer!" can
often be heard to summon a healer to help a
wounded fighter. The Healer is a character class
in most systems |
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| Idiot Ball |
A team game sometimes played in live role
play. |
| Imp |
Usually considered to be some form of very
lesser demon! A monster in many systems. At
mayfest these are usually played by children
who like the chance to be mischievious. |
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| Juggers |
A team game that has been adapted for live
role players from the game portrayed in the
film Juggers Salute. |
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| King |
Ruler of a land or Kingdom. (In
LARP they tend to be the focal point of a faction
or group of factions, and can either be DPC's
or very rarely actual players) |
| Knight |
A loyal warrior who has been recognised and
given a basic title by a King, Duke or Baron.
Usually they have outspoken codes of honour
which they will defend to the death. The most
common code being defend the Kking/Realm from
invaders. |
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| Lady |
A Lady (or Lord) is a title used to indicate
the superiority (or worthiness) of a person
when being formal. An example of worthiness
being respect ('Good luck Lord Goran' - said
the Duke to a respected but otherwise untitled
warrior) or fear ('Yes my lord I'll just get
what you want' - said the inkeeper to the huge
axe wielding warrior), superiority being when
addressing a higer rank ( 'As you command My
Lord' - said the Knight to the Baron). |
| L. A. R. P. |
Live Action Role Play or Live
Adventure Role Play (US) |
| Larper |
Live action role player often referred to
as the player. |
| Linear (adventure) |
An adventure where the players follow a strict
series of encounters. |
| Lord |
A Lord (or Lady) is a title used to indicate
the superiority (or worthiness) of a person
when being formal. An example of worthiness
being respect ('Good luck Lord Goran' - said
the Duke to a respected but otherwise untitled
warrior) or fear ('Yes my lord I'll just get
what you want' - said the inkeeper to the huge
axe wielding warrior), superiority being when
addressing a higer rank ( 'As you command My
Lord' - said the Knight to the Baron). |
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| Mage |
One who uses a force (other than that of some
god or other) to cast spells. |
| "Man Down!" |
An important safety call made when a person
is hurt or a person is very likely to get hurt.
It starts a period of time out. |
| Moot |
Often a faction meeting or a gathering of
a few factions. An event that lasts about a
weekend. |
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| N.P.C. |
Non Player Character. A character who is not
played by a player but played by either one
of the crew/monster team or by an organisor.
Usually to further the plot by providing vital
clues. |
| Non Player Character |
A character who is not played
by a player but played by either one of the
crew/monster team or by an organisor. Usually
to further the plot by providing vital clues. |
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| Ogre |
Very Big ugly humanoid. Often violent. |
| Orc |
Mand sized ugly humanoid. Also often violent. |
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| P.C. |
Player Character. Character played
by a player, totally under their control. |
| Player |
The person who plays/has a character,
for example if you played a mage called Zing,
you are the player and Zing is the character. |
| Priest |
A character class in many systems.
Priests generally have something to do with
a god and draw 'spiritual' power from them. |
| "Pull your blows!" |
This is a call made by players
to request that people they are fighting should
not be hitting so hard, in most cases the offending
player does not realise this so don't consider
this a "Your just a wimp" call, its
very important! There is never any need to strike
some one more heavily than is needed to let
them know you've 'struck' them. |
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| "Quad!" |
A call made in live roleplay systems during
combat. As a hit is made with the weapon, its
user cries, "Quad!" so that the target
knows the weapon is dishing out four points
of damage. |
| Queen |
Female ruler of a land or kingdom. (male
form is King) |
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| Referee |
Referees direct and control various parts
of the game as well as give rulings on interpretations
of a situation or rule. At a festival some referees
are quite specialised, for example a 'monster
ref.' - not a huge referee but a person who
sets up and directs the actions of a group of
monsters. At Mayfest we have character referees
who help players sort out their characters,
a number of player referees who control (as
much as anyone can at Mayfest) certain happenings
or plot lines as well as monster referees and
an overall (the buck stops here) referee. |
| Role playing |
Acting a character or part within a game or
situation. Make sense? Didn't help me much either!
So: Role playing is used in training by corporations
as well as by larpers for their games. One takes
on a persona and acts that part. Usually there
is no set script. better? Good! |
| Rust Monster |
A monster that turns metal into rust just
by touch. It is said they absorb the 'goodness'
from the metal. A monster that has made its
way from table top games into live role play.
Less frequently used now that players know how
to deal with these. |
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| Scraith |
Rather evil race that crop up to harry people
in the Mayfest system. They were created by
John Hayes who also made their masks and costume. |
| Spell |
The use of non-reality to get an effect..
(Thought that would throw you!) |
| Spell effect |
The effect caused by a spell. (Obvious I know!
So why do so many ask?) |
| System |
Either the set of rules that dictates how
the players play or, sometimes, the organisation
running some LARP. |
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| Table top |
A form of role play played by a group of friends.
This is often played with the character's statistics
recorded on a Character Sheet. Dice are rolled
against these statistics to determine the success
or otherwise of an action. |
| "Take your hits" |
This is a call made by players to not only
point out to another player that they are not
noticing (or ignoring) any hits being made to
them but also to draw attention to this fact
to other players. This call should not be abused
as it is a serious accusation effectively calling
the other player a liar! |
| "Time in" |
Period when all players should be 'in character.'
The "Time in!" call starts or resumes
this period. |
| "Time freeze" |
This call starts a period of time out but
players may not move but have to close their
eyes and make a noise. Used by organisors to
change something - usually to spring a suprise
upon the players. |
| "Time out" |
Period when players are not in character.
If following a period of time in then the call
of "Time out!" is made to end the
time in period. |
| "Triple!" |
A call made in live roleplay systems during
combat. As a hit is made with the weapon, its
user cries, "Triple!" so that the
target knows the weapon is dishing out three
points of damage. |
| Troll |
Very big humanoid monster that has an annoying
ability to grow body parts back almost instantly.
In some systems this is also a player race and
regeneration is slowed down to make it fair. |
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| Undead |
Non living monsters and, in some sytems, players.
Examples: Skeletons, ghosts, vampires, zombies,
mummys, etc. |
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| Vampire |
Bloodsucking monster. Usually human. In most
systems not a bit like those seen in 'Buffy!' |
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| Werewolf |
A monster which is part man - part wolf, normally
they are able to change between fully wolf (be
it a big nasty tough one) or half man - half
wolf (looks a bit like the big bad wolf in bed
time stories). Usually they can only be harmed
with fire or silver. |
| Wodwose |
These weak creatures are half plant and half
flesh. Mainly in the Mayfest system they have
appeared in other live role play systems since. |
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| 'X' |
Place where treasure should be buried on a
pirate's map. A symbol that marks the spot.
Also a symbol to represent a kiss. |
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| Yeti |
A monster we have yet to see at live role
play. (but were still hoping!) |
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| Zombie |
Moving corpse (often rotting) instinctively
seek out the living as needs to eat living flesh
to slow/stop disintegration. Mainly entered
here to get something into the Zs |
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