About
In The Long Night, players take on the role of characters trapped in an unending siege. It's a LARP about doing whatever it takes to make it to dawn, despite the pain and suffering all around you.
The game itself starts with a series of safety workshops, with the game itself starting at sunset Friday. The game ends when the sun rises on Sunday morning.
Tickets include food, with optional cabin accommodation available if required.
Rowallan Scout Camp
303 Mount Charlie Road
Riddell's Creek, Victoria
Everything You Need To Know
So, what exactly is this LARP?
"This is not a happy game."
The best way to describe The Long Night is a horror. It takes place in and around the ruined buildings of Arnalos, a village near Sudenburg, as an army of the Vampire Counts viciously attempts to slaughter anyone and everyone they find. However, the LARP isn't about fighting zombies and holding off a siege (though attacks can, and will, happen!) Instead, the majority of the game revolves around the mounting stress and struggle to survive in a life-or-death situation.
It's not a game about killing vampires with a silver sword and being a hero; it's a game about frantically stopping your friend from bleeding to death as the undead beat down the doors.
Sounds good. How does it work?
We've got full details in our Player Guide below.
The main things to bear in mind: the LARP takes place over a 36 hour period, with no breaks in between. While you can (and are expected) to sleep, you might have to do so huddled under a blanket, sharing the body warmth of a few friends, cradling your crossbow... and still get woken up by a Ghoul getting ready to rip your head off. It should be fun.
This sounds too intense for me!
Don't be put off by that earlier description! We've done our best to make the LARP as approachable as possible. Some people aren't comfortable having their sleep be interrupted by one of the undead. Other people need a proper bunk to sleep in every night.
We've segregated the game into very clear in- and out-of-game areas, including the bunks. If you want your own private sleeping tent that's safe and out-of-game, you can; if you want a proper bed, but still want to be woken up by undead ambushes, you can, and if you want to sleep on the ground in your armor, you can. How 'intense' you want the game experience to be is up to you.
What if something goes wrong?
That's entirely possible! You might sign up expecting that you can handle sleeping on the cold ground with no blanket, but realize you desperately need a warm, safe place to sleep. We're taking every step to make sure that if anything happens, and your needs change, we can meet them.
If you have any concerns or questions, about safety, feel free to ask.
What will we do during the event?
We're aiming to have a 60/30/10 split for the event. 60% of your playtime should be spent interacting with other players, be it planning tactics, recovering from injuries, counseling through a trauma, and resolving conflicts. 30% of the game should involve addressing problems external to your characters, such as recovering artifacts or securing food supplies. Only 10% of the game should consist of combat with the undead.
What kind of roleplay can we expect?
If you've played in a game written by the folks helping run this one, Narcissism, Ltd, then you'll be aware of how heavy a focus their games have on roleplay, and particularly roleplay between characters. A bunch of new mechanics have been deliberately included to make this LARP much more roleplay-heavy than other Swordcraft games. There's everything from Nordic approaches to roleplay to systems that represent your character's mental health.
Can my character die?
You're welcome to opt-in to have your character die, but it's entirely optional. Despite the fact this is a horror game, we don't want to kill off people and force them to make entirely new sets of kit.
However, we are hoping characters can (and will) be scarred, both physically and mentally, by what happens in Arnalos.
Are there special rules for this event?
Yes, quite a few. We've adjusted a lot of the core Swordcraft rules to suit the tone we want. The biggest changes are that staying healthy will be hard, recovering from injury will be harder, and mental health is just as important, if not more important, than physical health.
Also, all the NPCs can, and will, cheat. This is not a fair game.
What kind of characters can participate?
Any and all are welcome, be you human, orc, or even a vampire turned traitor to their own kind. Some characters will have an easier time than others, though.
Characters not associated with warbands are encouraged to attend, and you should feel free to come without your warband if you want to - they're far ess relevant than they are at Quest.
What should I do about food?
Because this is a much more intense and action-packed game than most other Swordcraft events, we don't want players worrying about food (or forgetting to eat!) We're supplying all food, including a Sunday feast to welcome the sunrise and celebrate your survival. Our caterer is still working on the menu, but expect lots of low-GI carbohydrates and protein, to keep you going. If you have any dietary requirements, we'll make sure to cater to them, as well.
Please note that dinner on the Friday night is not included; make sure you eat before coming!
What do I bring?
You should bring is the costume for your Swordcraft character, and whatever they might bring on a military expedition (bedroll, snacks, waterskin, surgical equipment, blacksmithing tools, armor, weapons, tent, etc.) What that entails is up to you, though your character will only have access to what they carry (and can scrounge up).
If you're intending to sleep OOG, or have items that can't physically be carried (for example, massive bell tents), you can bring them and set up beforehand.
Do you need NPCs?
NPC spots are intentionally limited, and come with additional duties beyond just 'showing up in a zombie costume'. With that said, any undead army leads a lot of bodies, so if you're interested, get in touch!
What if there's an issue?
We'll have an organizer always available throughout the event, in case it's one o'clock in the morning and you can't stop freaking out about zombies. If there is an issue, you can always come find us or an NPC; we want you to feel safe, even if your characters don't.
Can we bring our own drinks?
This is an alcohol-free event. You're going to be far too busy to drink, anyway.
NPC
Guide
NPCs in The Long Night are not as straight-forward; there's some specific requirements and legwork involved to make the event a success. Check out this document for more information.