If you've never played a Live Action Role Playing (LARP) game before, the concept can seem a bit strange. Don't worry. It really isn't difficult to play - they are little more than evenings of "let's pretend". The event takes about 4-6 hours.

Planning For the Event
Before you arrive at the event you should have enough details to provide yourself with some kind of costume if needed. Please note that real weapons will be confiscated at the door by the Host.

Talking to People
The trick to doing well at a LARP is to talk to people. This helps you determine who can help or hinder you. Start with the people mentioned in your character background. If your character knows them, it's likely that their character knows you. You will also have something to talk about - they'll be mentioned for a reason. Your sheet may mention characters that are not at the party. Just ignore any instructions or information regarding characters not at the party. Keep in mind that they might arrive later, at which time you can complete those goals or use those secrets.

Your Goals
The main indicator of success is the amount of fun you had playing. Normally, to achieve your goals you need to get other people to help you. And that usually means negotiating with them. Provided that their goals don't conflict with yours, there's no reason why you shouldn't go for it.

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COMBAT STYLE 1
[used in "Costume Ball 2006", "Holiday Festival 2006", "Broken Hearts 2007", and "New Beginnings 2007"]
There is one Artifact Weapon for each group. For example, Were can only be killed by the Silver Blade of Luna. If you find a weapon, it is a good idea to keep this fact a secret so you don’t become the #1 suspect if it should happen to be used in a murder. The weapons can only be used once and no one can commit murder without an Artifact Weapon. These will be very valuable commodities!

To Commit "Murder":

Tell the person you are murdering that they have been murdered and show them the weapon. At that time the ‘victim’ is to pose as a dead body with the Weapon lying atop their body. Used weapons may not be stolen for any reason!

The murderer then tells the host that they committed the 'murder'.

The victim will be removed and return as a new character or an Inquisitor. The Weapon will become Evidence.

COMBAT STYLE 2
[used in "Bon Voyage 2008", "Pieces of Eight 2010" and "House of Cards 2010"]
When one player wants to attack another, they must be within touching distance and must have a WEAPON, weapon card, or the Brawling Ability, and must succeed in a Rock-Paper-Scissors trial against the intended victim.

If the attack succeeds, the victim falls unconcious.

If the attack ties, there is no effect.

If the intended victim wins, they can either ATTACK BACK if they have a weapon/Brawling Ability, or FLEE [can't be attacked again by the attacker for five minutes].

Unconcious characters:
If someone with the healing ability or a healing potion heals the unconcious person within ten minutes, they immediately make a full recovery. If they do not get medical aid in those ten minutes, then the injury was fatal and the character dies. The player then chooses to play the remainder of the game either as a GHOST [you can only talk and listen - no cards, can't carry stuff or interact physically with other players] or as one of the SPARE characters.

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Notes on poisoning:
If you choose to "poison" someone you must have either the ability or the item card to do it.
Usually, you will be given stickers that you will use to mark the poisoned item [plate of food, drink, drawer of silverware, etc].
Poisons must be injested, no contact poisons or injections, making them different then weapons.

Notify the host of your intention and give the host the card describing the poison's effects if there are any. The host will place themselves in such a way so as to witness the ingestion of the poisoned substance.

The host will then inform the victim they have been poisoned and the victim falls "unconscious" to the ground.

If someone with the healing ability or a healing potion heals the unconcious person within ten minutes, they immediately make a full recovery. If they do not get medical aid in those ten minutes, then the injury was fatal and the character dies. The player then chooses to play the remainder of the game either as a GHOST [you can only talk and listen - no cards, can't carry stuff or interact physically with other players] or as one of the SPARE characters.

The descriptive poison card will be given to whomever is capable of, and performs, a forensic autopsy.

Spell Cards
Some games use magic and spell cards. In these games, at the beginning of the evening you will be given at least one SPELL CARD. Others can be won later in the evening during games and contests. Use Spell Cards wisely as they can only be used once! To use a Spell Card on someone:

You or an appointed agent (host or NPC) must touch the ‘spelled victim’ with the card. At this time the victim needs to take the card, read it, and once they understand the spell, they hand it back to the caster.

The caster then rips the spell in half for the spell to be cast.

The spelled person MUST follow these rules once the card has been ripped. All spells are bound with forget me dust. This means your character will not know they are under a spell, until afterwards.
NOTE!!! If the caster forgets to rip the card, the spell does not take effect! PAY ATTENTION!

Got an idea for how the game could be played better?
Email your thoughts or suggestions about the rules or mechanics of the game to the Host.
Type "Immortals" in the Subject Field please!

Submitted suggestions:

• New Rule: No stealing character sheets, only money, spells, weapons, and other props.

• Idea: No more wrestling balloon games.... :)

• Idea: Team people up with at least one other person so it is easier to gather information about goals.

• Don't make the game too "Easter Egg Hunt" [with the pearls, weapons, pieces of treasure map, AND the keys.] A little is good, but not everything.

• The keys were a good idea though and something like that should be used again in future games that require an "Easter Egg Hunt".
  The Keys: Certain rooms of the house were closed off and signs were posted saying the door could not be opened without a key, and once open could not be locked again. Some of the hidden clues, and hidden weapons, were in those rooms. This allowed new players unfamiliar with the "hunting ground" to be on a more equal footing with those players who have played here before and know some good places to hide stuff. :)

• Idea: Ghosts should wear something more than a tag around their neck to signify that they are ghosts. Maybe a white smock?

Through the advice of players, these LARPs have matured to a point where no GM is really necessary, and the action can take place more "real time". The only time the GM had to step in was to insure certain events necessary to the plot happened by certain times; such as the choosing of a sacrifice, or the volcano erupting. :)