Preparing for your first event can be a bit stressful, but this guide should make planning a little easier for you. Don’t forget to sleep before the event, since you may not sleep for much of the weekend.
Step 1: CREATE your Character
The very first thing you should when preparing for your first game is to make a character. Take a look at the Core Rulebook and choose the race and class your character will be.
Questions? Email our New Player Liaisons: ralinwoodnpl@gmail.com
Step 2: PUT YOUR CHARACTER IN THE DATABASE
When you have decided, send an email to ralinwoodlog@gmail.com to get your database account set up. The database is where you can add new skills to your character, you may also pay for your events there (As a new player you do not need to pay for your first event, that one is on us!).
Logistics will need the following information:
- Your Full Real Name
- Your Characters Name, Race, Class and True Name
- And if another player referred you. (And who it was)
Once your character has been inputted into the Database you may now send your character backstory in for approval. Although this process is not required, it is highly recommended as it can add depth to a character, as well as provide jumping off points for Shapers to write personal plot for you. You can find more information on the guidelines for writing your characters backstory HERE.
When you have written your backstory you may send it to ralinwoodshapers@gmail.com with the subject line “Backstory”
step 3: READ invite + prelog for event
Prelogging ensures that you know all the information about the upcoming event. There will be an event invite posted on the forums, on the website homepage, and a Facebook Event will be created. Often these event invites contain important, event-specific information. Prelogging for events ensures that all your character’s details are in order, and keeps our logistics team happy.
Step 4: Costuming
While Underworld is a medieval-based LARP and first time players aren’t expected to be fully costumed. That said wearing a sweatshirt with an Adidas or Nike symbol on it will ruin the atmosphere of the game, so you’ll want to avoid these at all costs. However, for a first game, plain black or brown clothing with a few extra costume pieces like a cloak and other accessories will suffice. Many players make their own armour and costuming. This is strongly encouraged and brings realism and enjoyment to all players of the game, not to mention personal satisfaction! Your costume, like your character, can be as elaborate as you want. If you are interested in making your own costume or armour but need some help, there is the Props and Costuming Forum where most players are happy to help out.
The following list of things to bring includes Physical Representations (Phys Reps). These are items used to represent something that your character would own. Ex: if your character is a mage, he/she would have to own a spell book, so you will need to have a Phys Rep for a spell book. You could use a small journal as your Phys Rep, or a large leather bound tome. Whatever you think matches your character’s style.
Quick list of stuff to bring:
- IG phys reps
- Street clothes (obviously!)
- Armour
- Boffer Weapons
- Boots (combat boots blend in with costuming much better than sneakers and are also inexpensive, waterproof, and will help prevent twisted ankles while you’re fleeing through the woods at night)
- Blanket (sleeping bag, ground sheet..)
- Cloak
- Flashlight (for safety reasons)
- IG Light phys reps (glowsticks, or filtered flashlights)
- Bugspray
- Makeup – spirit gum, face paint, ears, horns as required by race.
- Pants/Belt
- Plain shirt
- Socks (minimum 4 pairs)
- Tent – tarps are recommended in case of rain
- Toiletries – toilet paper, Tylenol, antihistamine, toothpaste, etc.
- Pouch or small bag to hold your IG belongings
It is recommended that by your third event that you have a basic medieval costume started. This can be done by purchasing a pair of plain slacks, with no visible zippers, or modern doo-dads, and a poofy sleeved shirt. Value Village is a great place to start, as well as asking other players where they got their clothing.
As with any outdoor sport, the weather can turn on you in an instant. Dress like you’ll be outside for the entire night and you should be alright. Wear layers, so that you can take some off if you get too warm, and put them back on if it the temperature drops. Everyone in medieval themed movies seems to wear a cloak; this is for good reason. Cloaks can keep you quite comfortable depending if you close the front, throw it over your shoulders or let it blow in the wind. They also help hide out of period clothes if you’re stuck wearing your street clothes to stay warm.
Finally, SOCKS – Almost everything can be fixed with a change of socks. Feet sore? Socks. Cold chill? Socks. Long walk? Socks. Hungry? Socks. In World War II every soldier was given this piece of advice: “Every time you stop, change your socks.” It holds true today.
STEP 5: SLEEPING ARROANGEMENTS
You can either choose to 1) camp out in a tent or 2) rent a bunk in one of the cabins.
step 6: Eating at LARP
There are two options at our site: 1) Buy cheap, filling and hot food at our Tavern or 2) campfire cooking.
1. Tavern
Details about the menu and the options for purchasing meals for the whole weekend can be found on our forums.
2. Cook for yourself:
The Underworld Ralinwood site has several fire pits in which you can cook. The food you eat will be up to you, but there’s no reason that you can’t barbecue a steak if you wish or live on protein bars for the entire weekend. Some players choose to bring camp stoves for cooking so that they are less reliant on the town fire, which may be too high or too low for cooking when desired.
Here are some suggestions
Cold:
- Beef Jerky, Pepperettes
- Bread – with peanut butter/jam
- Dried fruits (Stay away from bananas as they will turn you into a walking mosquito magnet.)
- Dry Breakfast Cereal – Cheerios are great, healthy snacks to munch on.
- Energy/Protein/Cereal/Granola bars
- Trail mix (Again, watch out for trail mix which features bananas.)
- Veggies – Carrots, Celery etc.
- APPLES! – Full of energy! These are good to carry at all times!
- Pastries – Croissants, Danishes, Muffins – Quick food on the go!
- Fruit Cups
Hot on Fire/Camp Stove:
- Chicken – Grilled
- Hotdogs/Sausages – cooked on a stick over fire or on a grill
- Hamburgers – Grilled
- Noodles – You’ll need a pot and some water
- Oatmeal – Pot and Water
- Potatoes – Wrap it in foil and put it near the fire. Sauce of some sort is all you need.
- Soup – Pot and Water
- Steak – Grilled
Drink:
- Water!
- Hot Chocolate
- Instant Coffee
- Tea
- Juice
If you bring perishable items like milk or chicken please carry them in a cooler so they don’t spoil. If you’re cooking food you’ll need to bring cooking utensils such as a pot, pan, plate, fork/knife, mug, and a towel or mitt for removing hot pots from the fire. While cooking, you will still be considered In Game (IG), which means that there is the possibility that you’ll be interrupted by a goblin raid. Carry ready-to-eat, non-perishable snacks for just such emergencies.
Water is essential for the weekend! If you’re running around in the hot weather you may become dehydrated. Your weight in pounds divided by two is the number of ounces of water you should be drinking on an average day (ex: a 150lb person should be drinking about 75oz of water on an average day). Plan to bring more than that since you’ll be active all day in the heat, as well as extra if you need it for cooking.
Pop is convenient to bring, but seeing people drinking from a can of Coke in the middle of town tends to interfere with immersion for other players, not to mention that sugar and caffeine will make you thirstier in the long run. If you must ingest caffeine, drinking from a period-looking mug is friendlier to game mechanics.
It’s usually best to avoid foods that leave lots of garbage behind since it’s just something else you have to carry back out with you. There is a strict no-garbage rule at the Underworld site. Absolutely everything that comes on to site with you must leave with you. You will need to bring a garbage bag for cleaning up your site at the end of game. Anyone found to be leaving garbage behind at site will face suspension from the game.