Steampunk: Vrste

The fourth larp in the "Para pokreće svijet" steampunk series, "Vrste", announced over 6 months ago took place last night. All in all, a total of 30 people took part in it (the number was capped). I haven't been on the first larp in the series, but I've been on the second and third one - I helped to organize this one, together with Vjeko, Ksenija, Marko and of course Sven who's the head GM of the Para pokreće svijet series. The rulebook, which gets slight updates now features a photo of me under "diplomat" class, which is very flattering :)

Vrste (Species) was also quite international - apart from Croats, we also had visitors from three other countries. One from Austria (she's a Croat though - it was her first larp), one from Serbia (who previously visited us on Crolarp), and two from Bosnia (who previously visited us on Tragači zore). Unfortunately, no good pics are up, so I'll just upload a few that I managed to snap with my cellphone which were not completely ruined by the low light conditions. Anyway, the language spoken was Croatian, and the larp quality was high - this was certainly a night to remember.

My wife, Jasminka, dressed as her Steampunk character, Mimi LeBlanc. At our home, just before we left for the event...

Played in Eko selo Žumberak, an idyllical place in the mountains an hour by car from Zagreb (the same location is used to play Para pokreće svijet and Sunčev potočić larps), it started, as expected, slightly late, and there were many new people around who were first timers, either to the Steampunk setting or to the larp itself.

"Para pokreće svijet" always had a gambling aspect to it - as the location simulates a gambling place, there was traditionally some poker (played with in-character money) and other stuff. However, there being much stuff to do on the larp itself, poker seems to be losing its appeal, and has been played less than the last time (where it was played less than the time before). That doesn't mean there's less gambling - now there's betting. Like the last time, people were betting on the football championships, however this time there was zeppelin racing as well. Two of the finalists were a player (and a NPC) which were visible in game.

Players to the right playing carelessly, oblivious of the bomb ticking to the left of them which two scientists were analyzing (by trying to solve Rubik's cube), and venue staff mingling with us to take care of our drinks...

There was regular diplomacy and technology auction (that alone would be enough for this larp) but there were also several storylines going on. Eagle's detachment (a very Gestapo-like fraction in the game world) were investigating the deaths of two of their colleagues on the previous larp, and they were questioning people suspected to be cultists. A player got possessed by a demon. A crazy pilot set up a bomb (this was my part). The mysterious race of Branguri appeared on larp for the first time (despite the fact they were in the rulebook since day one). And we were attacked by a giant cyborg werewolf. Yes really.

A witch-doctor trying to heal the werewolf's spirit... I think.

All in all, a very memorable experience.