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It’s Only A Game
This is by far the most important rule. If a character is killed, if a plot falls apart, if a rival wins the day — it’s only a game. Don’t take things too seriously, as that spoils not only your fun but that of everyone around you. Leave the game behind when it ends. Playing in a Live Action Roleplay Gmae is a lot of fun; spending time talking about the game is great. And yet, calling the person who plays the reclusive occult scholar at 5:13 A.M. on Sunday to discuss the possible cause of the recent juvenile disappearances at the haunted house is another matter entirely. Maintain perspective.
You might meet mean and nasty characters in the game. Don’t get them confused with the players. The worse a character seems, the more likely it is that the player is just a very good actor. Don’t bring out-of-character likes and dislikes into your character. Also, your character may die, sometimes through sheer bad luck. Don’t take it personally, don’t think that you’ve “lost.” There’s no such thing as winning or losing in this game. All that matters is having an interesting time and telling a good story.
No Touching Without Permission
It’s easy to get caught up in the game, but not everyone has the same comfort level with personal contact. If necessary, quickly describe what you intend to do out-of-character to the person whom you want to touch, getting their consent. Play it safe; Unless you know otherwise, assume touching isn’t okay.
No Stunting
Never climb, jump, run, leap or swing from anything during a game. Keep the “action” in your action low-key. If you can imagine you’re a hard-bitten private detective immersed in a shadowy conspiracy involving sinister creatures and ancient secret societies, you can certainly imagine that you dive across a table, rather than actually feeling compelled to actually do so. There is some leeway on this in an outdoor setting, but player safety is first and foremost. Twisting an ankle or worse through an accidental trip running isn't going to make the evening anymore entertaining for yourself or others.
No Realistic Weapons Props
We allow representations of weapons, but it must be clear at first glance that this representation is NOT a real gun, knife, sword, etc. Real weapons of ANY kind, even peace-bonded ones, are NOT allowed. We often play in semi-public places where we can expect police or security to come wandering by; we don’t want any non-players mistaking what we are doing, and we don’t want any accidents. It's ridiculously easy for passersby to mistake toy weapons for the real thing, especially in a heated conflict (acted or not). Also keep in mind, this is Saskatchewan, Canada in the game setting. Walking around with concealed firearms is not par of course, or acceptable in the eyes of mortal authorities when not law enforcement. Firearm related violence in turn draws *a lot* of attention, very quickly. Your character isn't a badass for carrying one around everywhere stubbornly without due reason, let alone brandishing one about. They're just someone looking to have it confiscated, or far worse consequences.
No Drugs Or Drinking
This one is a real no-brainer. Drugs and alcohol do not create peak performance. They reduce your ability to think and react, meaning that, among other things, your roleplaying ability is impaired. Simply put, players under the influence of drugs or alcohol are a danger to other players, and to the game as a whole. With explicit Storyteller permission, light social drinking can take place at or before a game, provided no one becomes intoxicated, the game location allows for alcohol to be served, and all players present are of proper legal age. (Even though no one should actually get drunk, don’t forget to designate drivers for safe rides home if any alcohol at all will be consumed at a session.) There’s nothing wrong with playing a character who’s drunk or stoned, but anyone actually getting even remotely drunk, serving alcohol in the presence of minors, or bringing any sort of illicit substances to a game is in bad taste at best and illegal at worst. It’s not being “edgy” or “mature,” it’s simply foolish. Don’t do it.
Be Mindful Of Others
Remember, not everyone you see or who sees you is playing the game. A game can be unnerving or even frightening to passersby. Be considerate of non-players in your vicinity, and make sure your gameplay actions or conversations are not going to alarm anyone in a public area. This is especially important given the heightened security levels around the world, even if you’ve always been careful about such matters in the past. Trying to explain that you didn’t really kill your friend, that your character just chopped off his head “in-game” to a suspicious policeman at 3 A.M. is often an exercise in futility. Likewise, hotel security won’t ask if you were discussing building bombs for purely “in-character” reasons before they call the police. Chances are the officers who respond to the call won’t see the humor in it, either.
On an average night a relatively normal-looking group of Requiem LARPers may discuss in things like monsters, cults, conspiracies, supernatural power and other topics that can unnerve ordinary people who don’t realize a game is being played. Throw in the fact that your players might wear shocking costumes, be overheard planning all manner of violent acts or describing gruesome things they’ve “seen,” and you have the potential for real trouble. Players should get a Storyteller to handle matter if outsiders look worried, frightened or angry, and more importantly never give in to the temptation to “freak the mundanes.” While a certain immature set might find it funny to deliberately disturb onlookers, others realize that doing so only hurts the game, whether by getting everyone ejected from the play area, causing the authorities to intervene or increasing the bad reputation this hobby has in the eyes of many people.
While you should enjoy this game and the fun and challenges it presents, never forget that no group plays in a vacuum. What you look like or more importantly what you act like while playing can have serious repercussions on those around you.
You Are Here With The Consent Of The Players And Storytellers
Requiem for Regina strives to be open and accepting as reasonably possible, but keep in mind that the game is not an open free-for-all. You still need to talk to the Storytellers, both for character approval and to get involved and "invited" into the game. Even if you haven’t technically broken any rules, if your presence is disruptive or exceptionally uncomfortable for the St's, narrators and players involved to deal with that invite can be revoked before you start the game. This may sound harsh, but it's an important note. The game is intended to be a fun, comfortable atmosphere for all involved. In most cases, issues that impact this can be worked out with a discussion with the game runners. In others, behaviors that are considered too extreme to contend with simply won't be invited out or back out to participate in the game. Requiem for New Oskana doesn't run on a "3 Strikes Rule" for every breach of game rules, in fact, there is no such "3 Strike Rule" in place. Breaches are dealt solely with the discretion of player input along Storyteller and Narrator consensus. We don't miraculously forget extreme breaches of the Most Important Rules, or allow them to repeatedly occur within Requiem for Regina without addressing them, simply because a player believes "they still have two more chances". Be on your best behavior in other words, and act with some maturity. We're here to enjoy a game, create a story, and have fun, nothing more. This isn't a dating pool, a form of psychotherapy, nor an outlet for one to achieve personal catharsis, bully other people or otherwise act belligerent on a out-of-game level at the expense of other players and people spending time to run the game for you. To reiterate the first rule, it's a game, plain and simple that runs on group efforts to ensure everyone enjoys themselves. Really, this is just a reminder of the first, and the last rule…
Make The Game Fun For Everyone
Not “win.” Not “Go out and kill everyone else.” Just “Make the game fun for everyone.” The object of Requiem for New Oskana is not winning. In fact, there are no rules for “victory.” It’s rather like trying to “defeat” a dinner party or “win” a play. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a direct dominate-and-destroy style of experience, but unless the rest of your troupe agrees with you, we recommend that you skip live-action play and fire up the video-game console instead. This isn’t elitism, it’s simple fact. The two types of games are designed with very different objectives in mind. The goal of live-action roleplaying is to have fun with friends and to tell great stories in a social setting, not to rack up kills, max out your dots or to achieve total numerical superiority over other players.
Indeed, in Requiem for New Oskana, it’s not about how the game ends, but about the journey and what happens along the way. It may sound strange, but it’s true: If you play for only your own amusement, you not only wind up amusing no one but yourself, but tend to alienate others in the troupe as well. If you play to make the game fun for everyone, all players are rewarded. Remember, everyone has dots on his character sheet. No matter how advanced your character is, someone else could be more powerful. That "broken" combination you figured out to steam-roll every other player? Don't expect the ST's and Narrators to allow it to function without adjustments if indeed found out to be unfair.
If your character is a total jerk, there are a number of ways to portray such him that still entertain other players, even if their characters hate yours. Responsible live-action roleplayers do not hide behind excuses like, “I’m a player and my character is a total bastard, so I can do whatever I want and the rest of the group can’t complain.” Rather, they understand the importance of concepts like, “I’m a player, so even if my character is a bastard — especially if he’s a bastard — I should make sure what I do makes for a better story as well as meeting my own goals.” It’s a small but absolutely critical difference. In the end, this final rule is as much a measure of common sense as any other. If you drive away the other players by making the game miserable, you’ll soon have no game left in which to demonstrate your bad-ass prowess or make your character an untouchable monolith within.
This is by far the most important rule. If a character is killed, if a plot falls apart, if a rival wins the day — it’s only a game. Don’t take things too seriously, as that spoils not only your fun but that of everyone around you. Leave the game behind when it ends. Playing in a Live Action Roleplay Gmae is a lot of fun; spending time talking about the game is great. And yet, calling the person who plays the reclusive occult scholar at 5:13 A.M. on Sunday to discuss the possible cause of the recent juvenile disappearances at the haunted house is another matter entirely. Maintain perspective.
You might meet mean and nasty characters in the game. Don’t get them confused with the players. The worse a character seems, the more likely it is that the player is just a very good actor. Don’t bring out-of-character likes and dislikes into your character. Also, your character may die, sometimes through sheer bad luck. Don’t take it personally, don’t think that you’ve “lost.” There’s no such thing as winning or losing in this game. All that matters is having an interesting time and telling a good story.
No Touching Without Permission
It’s easy to get caught up in the game, but not everyone has the same comfort level with personal contact. If necessary, quickly describe what you intend to do out-of-character to the person whom you want to touch, getting their consent. Play it safe; Unless you know otherwise, assume touching isn’t okay.
No Stunting
Never climb, jump, run, leap or swing from anything during a game. Keep the “action” in your action low-key. If you can imagine you’re a hard-bitten private detective immersed in a shadowy conspiracy involving sinister creatures and ancient secret societies, you can certainly imagine that you dive across a table, rather than actually feeling compelled to actually do so. There is some leeway on this in an outdoor setting, but player safety is first and foremost. Twisting an ankle or worse through an accidental trip running isn't going to make the evening anymore entertaining for yourself or others.
No Realistic Weapons Props
We allow representations of weapons, but it must be clear at first glance that this representation is NOT a real gun, knife, sword, etc. Real weapons of ANY kind, even peace-bonded ones, are NOT allowed. We often play in semi-public places where we can expect police or security to come wandering by; we don’t want any non-players mistaking what we are doing, and we don’t want any accidents. It's ridiculously easy for passersby to mistake toy weapons for the real thing, especially in a heated conflict (acted or not). Also keep in mind, this is Saskatchewan, Canada in the game setting. Walking around with concealed firearms is not par of course, or acceptable in the eyes of mortal authorities when not law enforcement. Firearm related violence in turn draws *a lot* of attention, very quickly. Your character isn't a badass for carrying one around everywhere stubbornly without due reason, let alone brandishing one about. They're just someone looking to have it confiscated, or far worse consequences.
No Drugs Or Drinking
This one is a real no-brainer. Drugs and alcohol do not create peak performance. They reduce your ability to think and react, meaning that, among other things, your roleplaying ability is impaired. Simply put, players under the influence of drugs or alcohol are a danger to other players, and to the game as a whole. With explicit Storyteller permission, light social drinking can take place at or before a game, provided no one becomes intoxicated, the game location allows for alcohol to be served, and all players present are of proper legal age. (Even though no one should actually get drunk, don’t forget to designate drivers for safe rides home if any alcohol at all will be consumed at a session.) There’s nothing wrong with playing a character who’s drunk or stoned, but anyone actually getting even remotely drunk, serving alcohol in the presence of minors, or bringing any sort of illicit substances to a game is in bad taste at best and illegal at worst. It’s not being “edgy” or “mature,” it’s simply foolish. Don’t do it.
Be Mindful Of Others
Remember, not everyone you see or who sees you is playing the game. A game can be unnerving or even frightening to passersby. Be considerate of non-players in your vicinity, and make sure your gameplay actions or conversations are not going to alarm anyone in a public area. This is especially important given the heightened security levels around the world, even if you’ve always been careful about such matters in the past. Trying to explain that you didn’t really kill your friend, that your character just chopped off his head “in-game” to a suspicious policeman at 3 A.M. is often an exercise in futility. Likewise, hotel security won’t ask if you were discussing building bombs for purely “in-character” reasons before they call the police. Chances are the officers who respond to the call won’t see the humor in it, either.
On an average night a relatively normal-looking group of Requiem LARPers may discuss in things like monsters, cults, conspiracies, supernatural power and other topics that can unnerve ordinary people who don’t realize a game is being played. Throw in the fact that your players might wear shocking costumes, be overheard planning all manner of violent acts or describing gruesome things they’ve “seen,” and you have the potential for real trouble. Players should get a Storyteller to handle matter if outsiders look worried, frightened or angry, and more importantly never give in to the temptation to “freak the mundanes.” While a certain immature set might find it funny to deliberately disturb onlookers, others realize that doing so only hurts the game, whether by getting everyone ejected from the play area, causing the authorities to intervene or increasing the bad reputation this hobby has in the eyes of many people.
While you should enjoy this game and the fun and challenges it presents, never forget that no group plays in a vacuum. What you look like or more importantly what you act like while playing can have serious repercussions on those around you.
You Are Here With The Consent Of The Players And Storytellers
Requiem for Regina strives to be open and accepting as reasonably possible, but keep in mind that the game is not an open free-for-all. You still need to talk to the Storytellers, both for character approval and to get involved and "invited" into the game. Even if you haven’t technically broken any rules, if your presence is disruptive or exceptionally uncomfortable for the St's, narrators and players involved to deal with that invite can be revoked before you start the game. This may sound harsh, but it's an important note. The game is intended to be a fun, comfortable atmosphere for all involved. In most cases, issues that impact this can be worked out with a discussion with the game runners. In others, behaviors that are considered too extreme to contend with simply won't be invited out or back out to participate in the game. Requiem for New Oskana doesn't run on a "3 Strikes Rule" for every breach of game rules, in fact, there is no such "3 Strike Rule" in place. Breaches are dealt solely with the discretion of player input along Storyteller and Narrator consensus. We don't miraculously forget extreme breaches of the Most Important Rules, or allow them to repeatedly occur within Requiem for Regina without addressing them, simply because a player believes "they still have two more chances". Be on your best behavior in other words, and act with some maturity. We're here to enjoy a game, create a story, and have fun, nothing more. This isn't a dating pool, a form of psychotherapy, nor an outlet for one to achieve personal catharsis, bully other people or otherwise act belligerent on a out-of-game level at the expense of other players and people spending time to run the game for you. To reiterate the first rule, it's a game, plain and simple that runs on group efforts to ensure everyone enjoys themselves. Really, this is just a reminder of the first, and the last rule…
Make The Game Fun For Everyone
Not “win.” Not “Go out and kill everyone else.” Just “Make the game fun for everyone.” The object of Requiem for New Oskana is not winning. In fact, there are no rules for “victory.” It’s rather like trying to “defeat” a dinner party or “win” a play. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a direct dominate-and-destroy style of experience, but unless the rest of your troupe agrees with you, we recommend that you skip live-action play and fire up the video-game console instead. This isn’t elitism, it’s simple fact. The two types of games are designed with very different objectives in mind. The goal of live-action roleplaying is to have fun with friends and to tell great stories in a social setting, not to rack up kills, max out your dots or to achieve total numerical superiority over other players.
Indeed, in Requiem for New Oskana, it’s not about how the game ends, but about the journey and what happens along the way. It may sound strange, but it’s true: If you play for only your own amusement, you not only wind up amusing no one but yourself, but tend to alienate others in the troupe as well. If you play to make the game fun for everyone, all players are rewarded. Remember, everyone has dots on his character sheet. No matter how advanced your character is, someone else could be more powerful. That "broken" combination you figured out to steam-roll every other player? Don't expect the ST's and Narrators to allow it to function without adjustments if indeed found out to be unfair.
If your character is a total jerk, there are a number of ways to portray such him that still entertain other players, even if their characters hate yours. Responsible live-action roleplayers do not hide behind excuses like, “I’m a player and my character is a total bastard, so I can do whatever I want and the rest of the group can’t complain.” Rather, they understand the importance of concepts like, “I’m a player, so even if my character is a bastard — especially if he’s a bastard — I should make sure what I do makes for a better story as well as meeting my own goals.” It’s a small but absolutely critical difference. In the end, this final rule is as much a measure of common sense as any other. If you drive away the other players by making the game miserable, you’ll soon have no game left in which to demonstrate your bad-ass prowess or make your character an untouchable monolith within.
