Fantasy fans find creative freedom

Fantasy fans have the chance to live out their wildest role-playing dreams through Tales of Atherion, Geraldton’s only LARPing group, in which players are transported to the mystical, fictional world of Ravens Keep.

No longer limited to tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons, LARP (live action role-play) allows players to assume the identity of a character and physically act out their actions, often partaking in quests and combat with other players.

Tales of Atherion organiser Anthony Howe said game masters created the origins of the world while allowing players to dictate what happened in the town.

“We’re the quest givers — we give them something to do,” he said. “It might be going and finding something or battling bandits.

“They tell us things that they want to do and we will help them make it happen.”

LARP has been around since the late 1970s, but Geraldton’s group is still fairly new, celebrating its first anniversary this month.

“When we first started, we had a core group of eight people,” Mr Howe said.

“When the first game rolled around, we had 14 players.

“Now we average around 25-30 players a game.”

Howe said LARPing was for everyone, with the group always welcoming new players, who only needed to bring a positive attitude.

“Anybody that wants to come and check it out is completely welcome,” he said.

“It can look daunting, but it’s as simple as wearing plain clothes, coming down, borrowing a weapon and seeing if it’s for you.

“And don’t be afraid to have a laugh at yourself.”

First-timers are also exempt from the group’s event fee, which helps keep the group and events running.

“LARP events obviously cost a lot to run — you have to buy props, items, costumes, everything,” Mr Howe said.

“It’s basically a donation, and it all goes into a kitty and it doesn’t go to anyone’s pocket.”

Mr Howe said one of the best parts of LARPing was the freedom to be whoever people wanted.

“When you can pretend to be someone else for a while, you lose that perception of who you see yourself as,” he said.

“You don’t have to be the tough-talking person; you can just be whoever you want.”

The Tales of Atherion LARP event is on Saturday and Sunday at Waggrakine Hall.

For more information, visit Natural 20 Games & Hobbies.