Interview: Camarilla Ireland! LARPs and Life!

Many people reading this will have heard of the term RPG, most of us have played one or two in our years of gaming or at the very least watched one, but when you apply that term to the world of tabletop gaming, the number will dwindle vastly. Roleplaying games, specifically table top ones, have provided this writer with hours, days and weeks of amazing adventures, brilliantly written epic quests, missions of subterfuge, tremendous battles, worlds filled with magic, unbelievable technology, creatures big and small. The tabletop RPG has always had a special place in my gaming heart but there is another style of gaming branched out from it, a ‘LARP’.

Admittedly my experience of this style is limited having only ever guest spotted in one game but the idea behind it sounds amazing and so to learn more I turned to Camarilla Ireland and LARP player, Sean Burke. 

Usually we start by asking who you are but in this case I think it’s more important to explain what a LARP is?

My name is Sean Burke and I am a LARP player in Camarilla Ireland. LARP is short for live action role playing . It is a type of role playing game where people act out their characters action or at least speak out what they are doing through a constant running story. LARPs are broken into 2 categories . The firs is a ‘Social LARP’ where the attacking is more off stage and focuses more on scheming and social skills than imaginary powers. Second is the ‘Action LARP’, these use similar gaming systems to a ‘Social’ game but players also use foam weapons and even airsoft guns to give a more real element to the game.

We’ve played a few RPGs in our time and have jars of dice, how does a LARP play out?

Well a typical RPG is based on a storyteller who would drive out the story along with playing out the roles of the non player characters and his or her players are affected by the decisions the teller makes. In a LARP players talk and discuss and scheme against each other , a story teller explains the plot and plays the npcs and describes actions (much like a normal RPG) but the story is progressed more by the players actions on the environment and with each other affecting not only events occuring in the present but shaping the future and possible ending.

What’s the difference between a LARP and an RPG?

An  rpg is usually just centered around a small group of players at a table . LARPs are generally hosted with a much bigger group of people, this can be anywhere from 6-100 people in one game, with story tellers dealing with the plot. These tellers can be local for your owns games or the big international story tellers that make the plot twists that alter the world in which these game are based. For example a local story teller will have a plot where a powerful vampire visits Dublin but an international storyteller plot would be something like a vampire gets spotted feeding during the Superbowl. The events hat are told can be small or huge and can affect the world in so many different ways. Another big difference is venue choice, like I said RPG’s are usually a group of players sat round a table but  an action LARP can located outside in a field or forest or inside, abandoned houses or warehouse as long as there is space enough for the players and social LARPs are played in private areas in pubs or theatres, but still places considered public domain.

For years now videos have circulated often at the expense of the players of LARPing? Why do you think people who don’t play it react to it the way they do?

I think its the same reason people mock those that read manga or comics or any really hardcore geek. People now a days think as we become adults we have to forget about horror and fantasy worlds and focus our tastes, likes and interests on what society perceives as mature and grown up . People are too jaded and forget sometimes you need that one day or evening just to let the mind wander and enjoy stuff you like because you enjoy it.. As players and enthusiasts we just have to continue to be a good example and show people we aren’t all like the guys you see on YouTube and it is actually quite fun.

So who are Camarilla Ireland? What do you play?

Camarilla Ireland is a International Social Social LARP group . The games we play are all based on the World of Darkness books. Set in a world like our own but one a lot more darker, Dracula existed Santa steals childrens souls and Fairies well lets say they are disturbed in so many ways. Our most popular game at the moment is a ‘Vampire: The Masquerade’ game which has 15-25 people playing at any one time. This game consists of vampires gathering together to discuss matters and mostly scheme and plot the downfall of other characters and players. This is the best thing about these game, using creativity and cunning to eliminate players or just make it that little bit harder for others to achieve their goals. 

Is the group open to newcomers or people who might be interested but never played before?

Yes, actually when I first started a year ago I barely played any tabletop rpgs due to a lack of people that had interest or patience to try it out .I attended a introduction to LARPing event held by  two of their members at a College Gaming convention (Dominicon)  I was working at and I was hooked from then on . The players themselves are helpful and friendly with explaining the rules . The greatest thing about the group is they are not just comprised of one group of friends .They comprise of people from different backgrounds education and gender sure we recently got some of the Bronies of Ireland to play some of our games recently . We are being brought together for the love of a game that’s what really matters-having fun. In this process I have made alot of new mates. 

What characters do you play?

I play a Brujah (warrior poet vampire) vampire called Tommasso (based off my mate back in America),his character is very Mafioso . His interests lay within business, opportunities and power . I also play a second character, a Daeva (think Anne Rice style vamp) vampire in a game of Requiem. He is a arrogant, cocky and makes fun of the fact he’s undead. I based him off my favourite writer Scott Sigler. His goal in the game is just to try and tip the balance of power.

Finally if you were trapped in an Arcade for eternity, what one game would you play to pass the time?

I hope this Arcade has a bathroom and a vending machine if so then it would have to be either Street Fighter vs X-men or Mortal Kombat. Those were the first arcade games I played!

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If you would like to learn more about LARPs or Camarilla Ireland then be sure to stop by their website – while still under construction it still hosts useful information.

Camarilla Ireland will also be present at this year’s ArcadeCon and will be hosting several games including LARPs and RPGs for beginners as well as veteran players!