E19. Exploring the Enchantment of Live Action Role Play
The salient point of this episode revolves around the exploration of live-action role-playing (LARP) as experienced by one of the hosts during their inaugural event at the Merden Emirates College. In a detailed recounting, we delve into the structure and intricacies of this LARP, which is designed as a magical school where participants engage in immersive storytelling and character development. The host elaborates on the various paths and classes available, as well as the organization and community aspects that contribute to the overall experience. Additionally, we discuss the challenges faced, particularly the overwhelming nature of the event for individuals with different needs, underscoring the significance of mental well-being during such immersive activities. As we transition into discussions of upcoming LARP events and literary endeavors, the episode encapsulates a rich tapestry of fantasy engagement, inviting listeners to reflect on their own experiences within this captivating world.
Links referenced in this episode:
Takeaways:
- The podcast episode discusses the intricacies of live action roleplay, or LARP, highlighting its immersive nature and community-driven structure.
- Listeners are provided with an in-depth account of the host's first LARP experience, emphasizing the emotional and mental challenges faced.
- The episode explores the organizational aspects of LARP events, noting the importance of effective communication and advertising for participant engagement.
- The discussion includes insights on the variety of character paths and classes available in LARP, showcasing the depth of roleplaying opportunities.
- An exploration of the dynamics within LARP settings is presented, particularly focusing on the relationships and interactions among participants.
- The episode concludes with reflections on personal growth through LARP participation, indicating the profound impact of community and storytelling.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Merden Emirates College
- MEC
- Free League
- Toys in the Attic
- Joe Abercrombie
- Ken Liu
- Brady Hunsaker
- Scott Lynch
Transcript
Sam.
Speaker A:Welcome to finally a new episode of Rolling into fantasy.
Speaker A:It's our 19th episode and we've awoken from our slumber.
Speaker A:Let's just blame it on summer.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:It's too hot.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's too hot in the attic.
Speaker A:Well, now it's bearable.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:I mean, it's almost what, 8pm and it's starting to get bearable.
Speaker A:But anyway, we had like a few weeks break, but with no further ado because there's a lot to.
Speaker A:To cover.
Speaker A:A lot we have, I would say, first up, your experience from the very first LARP you did.
Speaker A:So you will have to guide us through the whole thing.
Speaker A:And although I didn't read that much, or at least I didn't finish that many books, I do have two that I would love to cover and then a few from my TBR pile is because I'm really excited about that.
Speaker A:And even a game, tabletop RPG game.
Speaker A:But more about that later.
Speaker A:Let's dive into.
Speaker A:Immediately into your first LARP experience.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So in July, I went to my first LARP experience just to quickly fresh up, freshen up your mind.
Speaker B:What is larp?
Speaker B:It's live action role play.
Speaker B:So I think if you were to combine improv, theater and nerds who love DTRPGs, and you throw that together, okay, you get live action roleplay, basically.
Speaker B:Okay, now to what LARP did I go?
Speaker B:That would be Merden Emirates College.
Speaker B:Or how we called it.
Speaker B:Mec.
Speaker A:Mec with an E, not an A.
Speaker B:M, E, C. Okay.
Speaker B:Merden Emirates College.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:What is mecc?
Speaker B:Mec is a kind of magic school.
Speaker B:College.
Speaker B:Wizard college.
Speaker B:No, it's not related to Harry Potter, like at all.
Speaker A:Okay, we've been there.
Speaker A:We covered that already.
Speaker B:But it is, you know, a wand.
Speaker B:You're a witcher and you're going to magic college, basically.
Speaker A:Okay, gotcha.
Speaker B:Mech is considered.
Speaker B:It most definitely is one of the bigger larbs in Belgium.
Speaker B:Let me just, let me just put this.
Speaker A:How many are there in Belgium?
Speaker A:Because you're being so specific, I have no clue.
Speaker B:The thing with larbs, what I find so unfortunate is that they're not really well known.
Speaker B:And often when you look for LARPs, you have a really hard time finding them because it's either you have to go through the back doors of Facebook or very shitty websites or hear it from other friends.
Speaker A:So why is that?
Speaker A:Why is it so poorly advertised or communicated?
Speaker B:It's because there's always a very tiny group of people organizing it and it takes a lot of time and Effort to organize some such a big event.
Speaker A:So would you say that LARP in Belgium is still, you know, in its very early phase?
Speaker B:I would say so.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:The MECH is definitely among the bigger larbs in Belgium.
Speaker B:Why do I say that?
Speaker B:The first thing that comes to mind is the way that they advertise the larp.
Speaker B:It's a whole lot better than any other larp.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I discovered it through their advertising.
Speaker B:So they're very actively advertising this and definitely also through their organization.
Speaker B:They're super well organized.
Speaker B:If you were to just look up their website, it is very clean, very organized.
Speaker B:It's very easy to find things.
Speaker B:Things are usually easily explained.
Speaker B:So you'll easily see that this is a larger organization and they manage it super well.
Speaker A:How many?
Speaker A:I'm jumping.
Speaker B:You are.
Speaker A:I know, but how many players or participants are we talking about?
Speaker A:I mean, if you look at this.
Speaker B:Specific LARP, I would say approximately about 50 players.
Speaker A:Oh, okay.
Speaker A:For one.
Speaker B:Yes, for one event.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:That's still a lot.
Speaker B:I know that there are currently in the server about 130 people because it also has a Discord server.
Speaker B:But you can only get in if you are going to an event.
Speaker B:You can't get in there on invite if you're not going.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:But obviously not all of those people are always going to the next event.
Speaker A:Okay, fair enough.
Speaker B:It's also a very beginner friendly LARP event.
Speaker B:Why?
Speaker B:Well, it is a school larp, so there is still a lot of structure because you are a student and you are going to school.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Meaning you will have classes to attend, you will have teachers, there will be rules that you could or could not follow.
Speaker A:Then there's this Han Solo quote.
Speaker A:Didn't we just leave this party?
Speaker B:Well, out game.
Speaker B:The people who organized the LARP always encourage you to break the rules.
Speaker B:For example, there is a curfew set at 10pm in game, but out game, they always say there will be play until midnight.
Speaker B:So if you break curfew, there will be still two hours where things will be happening.
Speaker B:So in other words, break curfew.
Speaker A:Okay, gotcha.
Speaker B:That kind of thing.
Speaker B:So you know, breaking the rules can also be rewarding.
Speaker B:There is also, for example, a detention class.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Which I've heard a lot of weird stories about.
Speaker A:So you were not detained?
Speaker B:I was.
Speaker B:I was not put in detention.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Good girl.
Speaker B:Or was I simply not caught?
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker B:Because I've done stuff which I will tell you about.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Later.
Speaker B:So where is this larp?
Speaker B:It's in Vura.
Speaker B:In a castle?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:You will be spending the LARP in a castle.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Don't think too big.
Speaker B:It's still a fairly small castle.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:It's not like the DND sessions that they're holding now.
Speaker A:I mean, it's not that level yet.
Speaker B:Yeah, not that level yet, but it is still a castle.
Speaker B:That looks really pretty.
Speaker B:And you have a lot of grounds that they also put to use.
Speaker B:There's a lot of fields, a tiny bit of forest, a courtyard.
Speaker B:So there's a lot of grounds that you can work with a fireplace outside.
Speaker B:It's really, really nice.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:How long does the LARP go?
Speaker B:It goes for four days for LARP turns.
Speaker B:That is a little bit on the longer size.
Speaker B:A LARP usually is between two days to a week.
Speaker B:A week being the the longest LARP you'll find.
Speaker B:Two days is the most typical.
Speaker B:You'll find.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:With the day prior and the day after being built up and built down.
Speaker B:So four days is quite intense.
Speaker B:What else does this have to offer?
Speaker B:You obviously have a sorting ceremony for your house.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:There are five houses in total and you will get sorted by a dragon.
Speaker A:What do you mean sorted?
Speaker A:Or sword?
Speaker A:Like a sword and shield sorted, sorted out.
Speaker B:Yes, exactly.
Speaker B:So you have to approach the dragon and the dragon is.
Speaker B:You're in that house.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:It's still very Potter vibe to me, but okay.
Speaker A:Just observing.
Speaker B:I think the moment where it really starts deviating from Harry Potter is one the lore two, you use completely different spells.
Speaker B:And the thing that is really different compared to Harry Potter is the paths that you can choose.
Speaker B:So your house, you don't choose your path, you do choose.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And there are also five paths in total.
Speaker B:You can be an artific, which is, you know, Tinkering Alchemist, which is potions.
Speaker B:You can be a Paladin, which is think Magical Defense.
Speaker B:You can be a Sage, think Divination, or you can be a beast master.
Speaker A:So yeah, no barbarian.
Speaker B:Or that would be Paladin.
Speaker B:They're like the brutes.
Speaker B:They're the defenders.
Speaker B:They learn how to defend people.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:With also every single path has their, like, core classes that none of the other paths have.
Speaker B:Then you have shared classes with maybe one or two other paths.
Speaker B:And then you have the classes that everyone has.
Speaker B:Think spell casting and History of Magic.
Speaker B:Everyone has that.
Speaker B:That's really, really basic.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:But then you go more specific and then even more specific, which is really nice.
Speaker B:So you have a lot of personalized stuff.
Speaker B:Then what else do you have?
Speaker B:Clubs.
Speaker B:You have a lot of clubs that.
Speaker A:You can join and so, and.
Speaker A:And can you be.
Speaker A:So you're part of a house?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:But you can be member of a club that is not tied directly to your house.
Speaker B:The clubs are tied to absolutely no house, no path, everyone.
Speaker A:But it's still in game.
Speaker A:It's in play.
Speaker B:It's still in game.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I signed up for the dueling class because Wand dueling.
Speaker B:Wand dueling.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Because my path didn't learn a lot of magic because I was an artificer.
Speaker B:So it was really focused on tinkering and artifacts and runes.
Speaker B:So anything.
Speaker B:A lot of things that weren't specifically wand related.
Speaker B:So I wanted to learn more spells in game.
Speaker B:So I signed up for the dueling club, which was really, really fun.
Speaker B:Besides classes, what else does this LARP have to offer?
Speaker B:That would be the main plot, the side plot, and the player plot.
Speaker B:Now what are these things?
Speaker B:Main plot.
Speaker B:That is the main story that everyone will go through during that event.
Speaker B:This year it was the zodiac signs.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:All the zodiac signs fell down from the sky and we had to send them back up.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:But it had twist at the end.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:Then site plot is basically little things that the organization put in to entertain us.
Speaker B:Think after curfew you can still sneak out, but there will be a lot of creatures in the forest and on the fields that might attack you.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:That would be side plot because it's not directly tied to any player.
Speaker B:It's not specifically made for one character.
Speaker B:It's there for everyone, but it's not tied to main plot either.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Then you have player plot.
Speaker B:And that is something you have to submit beforehand.
Speaker B:So that main plot, the plot team can discuss this and see what they can do with this.
Speaker B:And then you will have player plot.
Speaker B:This can be something really small, like receiving a letter from your parents.
Speaker B:Because there was every day there was the Postman, which was really funny because it was an emo couple blasting emo music every time they came in.
Speaker A:But that.
Speaker A:That means that the organization must cater to your person way in advance.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:That is also why you have to submit it in advance.
Speaker B:And they have to approve it, obviously.
Speaker B:Otherwise they can't organize it.
Speaker B:Because it still has to be reasonable.
Speaker A:I mean, my point was they don't start plotting everything out the first day and ask you a lot of questions all over.
Speaker A:This happens way before.
Speaker B:Oh, yes.
Speaker B:There is simply no time to do that when the event starts.
Speaker A:So you also get some insights up.
Speaker A:Up front.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I mean, they usually once you get selected, I mean, everyone can submit player plot and it can get approved for everyone as long as it is feasible.
Speaker B:Okay, but like I said, it can be something very small, like receiving a letter.
Speaker B:That can be your player plot, but it can also be something really big, like, oh, I made a deal with a demon and I would for this demon to appear during the event, so it can go from really small to really big.
Speaker B:And I also submitted a player plot, but more about that later.
Speaker B:All right, what was my experience during this larp?
Speaker B:First of all, I want to start by saying that I absolutely love this and that I am so grateful that I got to go through this entire experience and I'm definitely returning next year.
Speaker B:I'm so excited to return as well.
Speaker A:But it will be in the same context, the same house, the same club.
Speaker B:Now that I have done the first, I've already went once as a student.
Speaker B:Now I will move up to a second year student, and then the year after, I will move up to a third year student and graduate.
Speaker B:So you can use, technically speaking, the same character four times as a first year, a second year, a third year, and an alumni.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And just to, for my comprehension.
Speaker A:So you can use the same character four times.
Speaker A:So four, four years in a row.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:But they started this with you being a freshman.
Speaker A:I mean, it's your first year.
Speaker A:Was it the same for the other players?
Speaker B:So everybody was a freshman start in a second year.
Speaker B:You have to start as a first year.
Speaker A:Okay, so this story was really.
Speaker A:You were all quote, unquote, freshmen.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And for example, if you just finished an arc with one character, like, you've done three years, you're like, I don't want to do an alumni year.
Speaker B:I want to make a new character.
Speaker B:Then you have to start from scratch once again.
Speaker B:Then you're a first year all over.
Speaker A:And it's like these four days, it's just once a year.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And those four days are, quote, unquote, a full school year.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:Yeah, I got that in game.
Speaker B:So I was really, really happy that I've got to do this.
Speaker B:It was such an amazing experience.
Speaker A:And your participation is by default extended to the next year until you cancel it.
Speaker B:No, I mean, you have to buy a player ticket and then you're in for the next year.
Speaker B:It's not like, oh, I do want to continue with this particular character, but I can't attend next year.
Speaker B:That's fine.
Speaker B:Then you just skip a year and then you attend the year after and then you're still like, say, a second year.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:So you just pick up where you left off so you don't have to attend every single year.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:You choose that yourself.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:As I was saying, really grateful.
Speaker B:However, I'm someone who has been researching LARPs or a lot for years.
Speaker B:This has been a dream of mine for years.
Speaker A:Disappointment incoming.
Speaker B:No, no, no, no.
Speaker B:But what nobody, what everyone failed to tell me is how, especially for someone with autism, how overwhelming this is.
Speaker B:I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker A:You're sweating already.
Speaker A:I can see it.
Speaker B:I had the worst mental breakdown I've ever had because I was so overwhelmed.
Speaker B:And I didn't take any breaks because in my mind I didn't need any.
Speaker B:I definitely did.
Speaker B:I learned my lesson.
Speaker B:I need breaks between the LARP because I cannot do this, because you basically, I wake up around 7am I go to bed around 1am Those are really, really long days, especially for you.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's very, very tiring.
Speaker B:You're constantly surrounded by people because you also don't sleep alone.
Speaker B:You usually sleep in like a room with like six other people.
Speaker B:So, you know, you're constantly surrounded by people.
Speaker B:So I learned my lesson.
Speaker B:I definitely need to take a few breaks.
Speaker A:But isn't that something that you should also flag to the organization to take into account, you know, for.
Speaker A:I mean, for people who need some mental.
Speaker B:I'm glad that you said that because as I said, the organization is really, really well done.
Speaker B:I already gave the example of a well organized website, but what else do they have that shows that they're really, really well organized?
Speaker B:For me, one of the things would be the appointed people for medical care, be that physical or mental.
Speaker B:At the very beginning of the larp, before you go in game, they give workshops and that is the rules out game, the rules in game.
Speaker B:And a workshop around consent, because consent is really, really important when you larp.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:For example, you can have a relationship between two characters, but not be in a relationship out of character.
Speaker B:So then you have to really see what are the boundaries here so you don't overstep.
Speaker B:So they really emphasize that what is important, what are the rules?
Speaker B:And when they do these workshops, they also say these are the appointed people for medical care and they all wear a red cross the entire time.
Speaker B:So you always know who these people are.
Speaker A:Crusaders.
Speaker B:No, but you know that you can go to them if you have a medical issue, be it you're mentally feeling unstable, you physically had an injury.
Speaker B:Obviously they all are allowed to give first medical care, but if you're losing.
Speaker A:A finger, of course they'll take appropriate measures.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:I got it.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:And what is also, there is a room that is out game full of like fidget toys, blankets and whatnot, where you can go to.
Speaker A:So you could have.
Speaker A:You could have gone there, but you didn't.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's wholly on me because I was like, oh, I never saw anyone talking about taking breaks between a larp, so definitely I won't need this.
Speaker B:I was wrong.
Speaker B:I needed it.
Speaker B:And they already had a room for that.
Speaker B:But they didn't specific.
Speaker B:They did mention it.
Speaker B:It always gets mentioned.
Speaker B:They tell you where it is so you know where to go to if you feel overwhelmed.
Speaker B:You can kind of destimilate if need be.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:It's wholly my fault.
Speaker A:Okay, okay, fair enough.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I underestimated how overwhelming it would be overall.
Speaker B:Something else that every player gets is a whistle.
Speaker B:Now, this whistle is only to be used in case of a very big emergency because when this whistle is blown, the entire game stops.
Speaker A:Example of emergency.
Speaker B:Someone has to get rushed to the hospital.
Speaker A:Yeah, obviously.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:That is an emergency.
Speaker B:If you have to go to the medical care that they can do on the ground itself, that is not an emergency.
Speaker B:At least.
Speaker B:Sure, that is an emergency.
Speaker A:As long as that's life threatening.
Speaker B:But they don't have to stop the entire game for that.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:They kept using an example of someone who had stepped in class the previous year and blown the whistle.
Speaker B:That was not an example of a moment where they should have blown the whistle because the people who are responsible for medical care could have fixed that themselves.
Speaker A:Bottom line, you know, you don't want to use the whistle because that means really bad.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:If you used a whistle, it's really, really bad.
Speaker B:It's for really bad situations only.
Speaker B:Have to stop the game so it can get resolved on ground.
Speaker B:It's not that big of a deal.
Speaker A:Okay, fair enough.
Speaker B:What else that showed that they're really good in organizing is there were multiple photographers and a videographer on site all four days.
Speaker B:We're still getting all the pictures.
Speaker B:I think we have the pictures of the first two days by now, fully edited.
Speaker B:There's also.
Speaker B:The videographer released a video that is basically like a trailer using all the footage of this year's larp.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Looks so good.
Speaker A:So they're gonna use that in their.
Speaker A:In their.
Speaker B:That is another way of advertising their larp.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Which they should do a better job.
Speaker B:Oh, no, they.
Speaker B:They're doing a really good job advertising their LARP.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Out of all the LARPs, especially in this area like Belgium, the Netherlands, etc, they're really good at, sorry, advertising their larp.
Speaker A:But this is, I mean I should have asked in the beginning.
Speaker A:But this is all done in English, right?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Because there's people coming from Germany, from France, from America, from the uk, from the Netherlands, from Belgium.
Speaker B:It's like there are so many people speaking different languages.
Speaker B:We have to find a mutual language and that is English.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And it is also a very smart way to go about it because if you speak English in your LARP and that immediately opens up your audience.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Because if you do it in Dutch, well then you can only attract people who speak that.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So okay.
Speaker B:Then also one thing that was really well done is a bag check.
Speaker B:When you arrive, they immediately have everyone's bags checked.
Speaker B:Because you can't have real weapons, obviously.
Speaker B:All weapons have to be LARP safe.
Speaker B:Like doll weapons are also not allowed.
Speaker B:They have to be like foam or you know, LARP approved weapons.
Speaker B:You can't bring any alcohol or other substance substances.
Speaker B:That is not allowed.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:So the moment you arrived, that gets checked.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Are you not, are you wearing any contrabands on you?
Speaker B:And those will be confiscated if you do have them on you.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Now for how I, I felt how the whole LARP went in game wise.
Speaker B:Because this is all out game, obviously.
Speaker B:It's like I said, very overwhelming and you will miss a lot.
Speaker B:You will miss so much that is going on because you have main plot going on, you have side plots going on, you have player plots going on simultaneously.
Speaker B:So there will always be something that you miss.
Speaker B:But on the counter side there will.
Speaker B:You will always be doing something.
Speaker A:But, and, and not only to mention, I mean you're the whole time you're in character, but you're also in appropriate costume.
Speaker A:I mean it's.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker A:Well, I mean more or less, right?
Speaker B:I mean more or less.
Speaker B:Like I said, it's.
Speaker B:It's a very LARP beginner friendly.
Speaker A:So it's light cosplay at the same time.
Speaker B:Yes, but it's.
Speaker B:You have very different degrees in larp.
Speaker B:A first level LARP is very beginner friendly.
Speaker B:The costume restrictions are very mild.
Speaker B:It's a very easy larp, which is mech.
Speaker B:A second level would be you will, you will suffer a little bit.
Speaker B:The costume restrictions.
Speaker B:Restrictions are higher sometimes you will suffer, but you can laugh about it in the end.
Speaker B:And a third degree is super intense.
Speaker B:You will suffer.
Speaker B:Which is not my type of LARP by the way.
Speaker A:I mean the third degree would be like you.
Speaker B:I have one prime example.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:It no longer exists but it has existed for a very long time.
Speaker B:And this was a witcher school LARP that lasted for three months where you went through a real witcher training.
Speaker A:I mean.
Speaker A:But not real three months.
Speaker B:No, not actual real three months.
Speaker A:But I mean, how.
Speaker A:I mean, these people have jobs or families to attend to.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Okay, that is weird.
Speaker A:But okay.
Speaker B:Okay, that is an example of like a very, very intense LARP.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:But there are also very intense LARPs that are only like a week.
Speaker B:So that was a very extreme example.
Speaker B:But it's very beginner friendly because it's a witcher school set in our world in this exact timeline.
Speaker B:So if you go there in full modern clothing, that's technically still correct because we are in this modern world, so why would a witch not wear that?
Speaker B:But you can also go full medieval style.
Speaker B:You can go full leather style.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It really doesn't matter.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:It's however you interpret your character.
Speaker A:Okay, but just for my understanding.
Speaker A:So you said you were about 50ish participants.
Speaker A:Were they all in the same storyline?
Speaker B:Yes, we're all.
Speaker A:But that's a lot.
Speaker A:50 people.
Speaker B:Well, you have to understand these people are divided per year, per house, per path.
Speaker A:But you do cross each other's path during the story.
Speaker B:I think the 50 people total is teachers and students combined.
Speaker B:And there is already like 14 teachers.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I think in the class that I had of artifact, Artifactology, which is with only the artificers of my year.
Speaker B:So first year artificers, Artificers, we were with five people.
Speaker B:Okay, so what?
Speaker B:When you are in class, which is from 8:45am Till like 4:00pm Ish, I think you will only see the people who you have classes with, which are usually very small classes.
Speaker B:So those times you will most likely not get overwhelmed much because you are in very small groups constantly.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Once the classes are over, because after class you have the clubs.
Speaker B:A lot of people will go to clubs.
Speaker B:You don't have to attend one.
Speaker B:You can also just roam the school grounds.
Speaker B:So it's not mandatory, but a lot of people will do that.
Speaker B:So again, a lot of people who are divided.
Speaker B:After that though, you really notice that it's a really large group of people, because then everyone roams freely.
Speaker B:Freely, but still everyone is everywhere.
Speaker B:It's a really big round.
Speaker B:But now I completely lost your.
Speaker B:I've lost my ears.
Speaker A:You're still sweating like we're reliving the whole story.
Speaker B:I have to admit, I waited until unpacking my bag from MECH until yesterday because.
Speaker A:But it's been like weeks.
Speaker B:But I didn't want to admit to myself that it was over because it was so.
Speaker B:I. I miss it so much.
Speaker B:And unpacking felt like.
Speaker A:Closure.
Speaker B:Yeah, closure.
Speaker B:Like closure.
Speaker B:And I was like, no, I don't want it to be over.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I mean, but they're still next year.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker B:And I already have so much planned.
Speaker B:I think that was the thing, the part that I really loved so much.
Speaker B:Of course you have your player plot.
Speaker B:That is going to happen.
Speaker B:In my case, it didn't because that was because I was asleep.
Speaker B:And the people who were supposed to do my player plot forgot because it was so.
Speaker B:It's like I wasn't there anyway, but they also forgot.
Speaker B:It was really funny.
Speaker B:But you also get pulled into player plots of other people who you befriend, who you connect with.
Speaker B:So I made a lot of friends that I totally didn't know before the larp.
Speaker B:Heck, I even got in a relationship.
Speaker B:Totally wasn't planned.
Speaker B:My character.
Speaker A:Okay, thank you for.
Speaker B:My character is dating someone now.
Speaker B:Out of character.
Speaker B:I am not in character.
Speaker B:They're absolutely adorable.
Speaker B:I love their gay relationship.
Speaker B:It's amazing.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And then you also start planning player plot that involves other people.
Speaker B:And it just gets larger and larger every year what you will be doing.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Other things that, like, happen like that are.
Speaker B:For example, losing my wand the first night, which I did by accident, and a friend of mine found it.
Speaker B:And then I owed him a favorite, accidentally took a gift from a Fae because I forgot that said teacher was a Fae.
Speaker B:So now I owe a Fae a favor.
Speaker B:Or sneaking out after curfew and getting chased by all kinds of monsters.
Speaker B:So there's most of the things you will not have planned.
Speaker B:But it's amazing and I can't wait to go back.
Speaker B:Now, you may be thinking, will there be other LARPs that I will be attending?
Speaker B:Yes, I will.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I already have one other planned in October.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Which is from Toys in the Attic.
Speaker B:And they have three LARPs.
Speaker B:One fantasy, one steampunk, and one apocalyptic type LARP.
Speaker B:I will be joining the Fantasy Fall, which is the Medieval Fantasy larp.
Speaker B:This will be also.
Speaker B:This is also in Belgium, but it takes place in a forest.
Speaker B:So we will be sleeping in tents.
Speaker B:And it's two days.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:So it's a lot less intense.
Speaker B:It's a lot less.
Speaker B:It's not as long as mech.
Speaker A:All right, now for the more practical part.
Speaker A:I mean, we'll be sharing some links if people are interested, but what's the.
Speaker A:The ballpark budget for such a LARP of four days.
Speaker A:Because it doesn't come free.
Speaker B:No, no, it definitely does not.
Speaker A:Because it includes not only your stay at site being a castle, but also the food, the drinks.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:All of that is included.
Speaker B:So for Merden Emirates college, for the four days, you pay €300.
Speaker B:And that includes the room you will be staying in, all your food and drinks.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:The experience, if you want to take the bus, that's.
Speaker B:It leaves, I think in luck and then goes to the site.
Speaker B:You have to pay like €25 extra, but then you have transport to the LARP.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:But well, worth is so worth it.
Speaker B:And I don't think that €300 is.
Speaker B:What's the English word.
Speaker A:Is.
Speaker A:Exaggerated.
Speaker B:Exaggerated.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:If you look at everything that you get in return, like, there's also a lot of props that you get to take home with you.
Speaker B:Like your course book, the tea time tattle, which is like a gossip magazine.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Your white rose.
Speaker B:If you get asked out to prom, you get a white rose.
Speaker B:So little trinkets like that.
Speaker B:I was in artifactology.
Speaker B:We make artifacts.
Speaker B:Everything that we made we get to take home.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:And you get also access to all the.
Speaker A:The pictures and the videos.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:So there's a lot.
Speaker B:What you get for that price.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Now the LARP that I'm going to in October, price range wise, it's a lot less.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:It's about €70.
Speaker A:Yeah, but it's two days.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's.
Speaker B:It is two days.
Speaker B:They do expect you to bring your own tent.
Speaker B:It's, I think also like the budget that they use is a lot smaller.
Speaker B:It's not a big alarm as MECH is.
Speaker B:You can really see the difference between the two in just organization.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Well, fingers crossed that will be as memorable as the first one.
Speaker A:But all in all, it was a very nice experience.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And something you would definitely.
Speaker A:Well, apparently you want to repeat.
Speaker B:Oh, I am so going to repeat this.
Speaker B:I cannot wait until next year.
Speaker B:It's so long.
Speaker A:With all the prep.
Speaker A:That's my last question for now.
Speaker A:With all the prep, will you still have time to read as much as you did until now?
Speaker A:Because I have the feeling that it does take up a lot of prep.
Speaker B:Well, you do have a full year to prep and what do you need to do?
Speaker B:You can go as far as you want or as little as you want.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I do want to experiment a lot with costuming this year because I want my character to go through a lot of change which I will have to teach myself.
Speaker B:A lot of new cosplay techniques which I'm really scared for, but also excited.
Speaker B:So yes, that will take up some of my time, but I'll definitely still have time to read.
Speaker A:Good.
Speaker A:Speaking of which.
Speaker A:And there's not really that much time left.
Speaker B:Sorry.
Speaker A:No, that's fine.
Speaker A:I mean that was the idea to have a good debrief of your first LARP experience.
Speaker A:I mean, having said that, I haven't finished that many books that I wanted, but I did tackle some of the books that I really wanted to read and I added a few books on my TBR list.
Speaker A:But I also did some.
Speaker A:Some pre reading in some of them and that's exactly what I wanted to.
Speaker A:To talk about, but briefly apparently because I haven't got that much time.
Speaker B:Sorry.
Speaker A:That's okay.
Speaker A:It's okay.
Speaker A:So the, the books that I wanted to talk about, I think I already announced that in.
Speaker A:In definitely the last or.
Speaker A:Or perhaps the episode before that is the latest by Joe Abercrombie, the Devils, which was published this year.
Speaker A:That's one.
Speaker A:And then I got convinced to start reading Ken Liu's first home, the Grace of Kings.
Speaker A:Then also I got this actually from a very good friend of mine was to try out why not the Depths of Van Alf by Brady Hunsaker.
Speaker A: almost which was published in: Speaker A:The Dungeon Crawler series, Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Speaker A:And then I have a last one that I want to talk about is the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.
Speaker A:Now I did see, having filed or listed these few books, or at least some of them have a common theme being humor.
Speaker A:So even dark humor, but they have humor in there.
Speaker B:I do feel like you like a lot of books who have a lot of humor in them overall.
Speaker A:Yeah, I do.
Speaker A:And jumping right in.
Speaker A:I mean I have them here really piled up just in front of me.
Speaker B:Just it's.
Speaker B:There's so many books.
Speaker A:I know, I know.
Speaker A:But so the one I first mentioned, so the Devils by Joe Abercrombie.
Speaker A:I mean, I'm almost done.
Speaker A:I'm on the last pages.
Speaker B:It's a really thick book as well.
Speaker A:Well, it is.
Speaker B:Is this the one with.
Speaker A:Do tell, if you remember.
Speaker B:Was it something with a monk?
Speaker A:Yes, yes, indeed.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And here actually in Abercrombie, let's say traditional style of writing, he kind of shifts.
Speaker A:I wouldn't say he altered his writing, but he took some more freedom Because, I mean, what I really liked about it is that it's really his first novel outside that universe in more over a decade, I think.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And it's actually a brand new standalone trilogy.
Speaker A:So it's the first home, but they're said to be.
Speaker A:You can read them independently as far as I understood it.
Speaker A:But it's.
Speaker A:It's really.
Speaker B:They're all part of like a larger role.
Speaker A:Yes, yes.
Speaker B:And this one was the one with a lot of like religious intrigue and they.
Speaker B:There was a party of misfits kind of escorting a princess.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:Oh, you do remember or you read my file?
Speaker B:No, I only have my file open.
Speaker A:All right, excellent.
Speaker A:Well, I mean, usually Abercrombie, he writes Grimdark, you know, and toward more satirical, absurd.
Speaker A:And this is definitely the case here because the setting, which it reminds you is medieval Europe, because you.
Speaker A:They do visit all these places that you recognize by name, you know, I mean, they go through all these European cities.
Speaker A:But history is a bit awkward that the Pope is.
Speaker A:Is a woman.
Speaker B:Yes, yes.
Speaker A:And there's also this schism, like we.
Speaker B:Have, like, it's more of a. Wow, what is it?
Speaker B:Not a patriarchy, but a matriarchy.
Speaker A:But the thing is, I mean, if you have to make one comparison, and I found this somewhere, it's not mine, but I think that really hit the spot.
Speaker A:Think Suicide Squad and.
Speaker A:Okay, but hang on.
Speaker A:But a crossover between Suicide Squad and the classic hammer horror stories.
Speaker A:I mean, it's really like these two very different things.
Speaker A:You have everything.
Speaker A:You have this matriarchy, like you said, it's a little bit of alternate history, but very recognizable.
Speaker A:And then they throw in there a monk, a werewolf, a vampire, an elf.
Speaker B:I do feel like you like a lot of books who have more like a medieval vibe to them, but not a fantasy medieval vibe, but the true medieval vibe.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And for me, this was, I wouldn't say a leap of faith because indeed, you're absolutely correct that I really like those medieval stuff.
Speaker A:And for me, it was.
Speaker A:I mean, it was a jump in the dark to see whether I would like it, you know, because it still has a lot of referrals to ancient medieval times and history.
Speaker A:But he gave such a twist about it and such.
Speaker A:I mean, he is a very good writer, obviously, but the character building got me really surprised on several occasions, and the way all these characters and their nature really draws this beautiful painting as a story.
Speaker A:And I mean, I really liked it.
Speaker A:I mean, I'm just close to finishing it and I'm happy there will Be more so, let's say, like I said in the beginning, I mean, Abercrombie, he turned a little looser.
Speaker A:It's grimmer.
Speaker A:It's funnier, especially the language.
Speaker A:That's also one last thing I wanted to mention.
Speaker A:Not only is it funnier grimmer and grimmer, etc.
Speaker A:But he has such a rich vocabulary.
Speaker B:As in he uses difficult language or.
Speaker B:What exactly do you mean by that?
Speaker A:Not Tolkien, like.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Not that level, but very rich.
Speaker A:Rich in descriptions or rich really in vocabulary in the right words that set the tone, that are really in tune with medieval times.
Speaker A:So, yeah, I really like that.
Speaker A:So I give it a four and a half out of five, even though I'm just a few pages shy of the end.
Speaker A:But for me, it's already four and a half out of five.
Speaker B:Okay, okay.
Speaker B:And why exactly?
Speaker A:Well, because one, I took a leap of faith to see whether I would like it, and I loved it.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:To me, it was really funny and it was fun to see how he changed history, you know, based on medieval real history.
Speaker A:And he just twisted.
Speaker A:Okay, let's.
Speaker B:You do like fantasy stories that are set in our world, which I find very surprising because that is not something that, especially from my generation, at least that is not something a lot of people from my generation are attracted to.
Speaker B:Okay, so why do you like that specific genre so much?
Speaker A:I think it's based on, I would say the first books that I read.
Speaker A:I mean, there weren't that many fantasy heroic books out there when I was a teenager.
Speaker A:And it was more often to find stuff that found their inspiration in medieval times or from medieval times.
Speaker A:And then, you know, the 80s, the first fantasy.
Speaker A:I mean, we cover this, the first fantasy movies.
Speaker A:You know, you have Conan the Barbarian, etc.
Speaker A:For me, it always reminded me a lot of medieval times.
Speaker A:And it's just a period of time of our own history that I really liked and I got invested in.
Speaker A:So I think that's that.
Speaker A:But having said that, I took another leap of faith because at first I wasn't too sure whether it would be my kind of story or writing even.
Speaker A:And sometimes you just have to jump, you know, you just have to go.
Speaker A:Because I was reading so many good reviews, so many.
Speaker A:And hearing so many good things from people who are much more knowledgeable than I am in the fantasy genre.
Speaker A:And I just went with Ken Liu's first home, the Grace of Kings, which is the first part in his Dandelion Dynasty series.
Speaker A:Now, this book was published about 10 years ago.
Speaker A:I mean, the first one, right.
Speaker A:And it got.
Speaker A:Actually, why did I finally pick this one up was I got suggested this one in.
Speaker A:In London at Waterstones.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And the lady was just, you know, so thrilled with this, so passionate about it.
Speaker A:So passionate about it.
Speaker A:I was like, okay, you know what?
Speaker A:I'm gonna give it a try.
Speaker B:What is it about exactly?
Speaker A:Well, what it's called is Ken Leo's silk punk epic fantasy.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:What's in a word.
Speaker A:But he has his roots of world building in this story is really East Asian antiquity.
Speaker A:And in.
Speaker A:In this first volume, which is entitled the Grace of Kings, it introduces a little arpic archipelago of Dara.
Speaker A:So it's a small island, right?
Speaker A:Small islands called Dara.
Speaker A:And it's a fractured land under Imperial rule.
Speaker A:So again, you know, it refers to that.
Speaker B:So it also takes a lot of inspiration from real world history once again.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And it follows two very different men.
Speaker A:You have Kunigaru, who's a bandit, but a charming one and with a talent for inspiring the common people.
Speaker A:And then you have.
Speaker A:On the other side, you have Mata Zindu, if I'm pronouncing it correctly.
Speaker A:And that's a noble warrior, you know, obsessed with restoring his family's honor.
Speaker A:And what's fun to see is both of them.
Speaker A:They come to a very unlikely alliance.
Speaker A:It sparks a revolution against the empire.
Speaker B:So there are two people from opposite.
Speaker B:Opposite sides?
Speaker A:You could say that.
Speaker A:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker A:And then there's war that is nearing, and their independent visions of what the future would be and should be are very divergent.
Speaker A:So it's setting really, the stage for the conflict between those two persons, but also for the whole story and where it's really strong, or at least so I've been told, because I've only read like the first 20 pages just to get a little taste.
Speaker A:And I really liked.
Speaker A:I was really hooked and read like 20 pages on the train.
Speaker A:And the character description, even if it's short, I could really feel them.
Speaker A:And you could feel that Ken Liu really has a good sense of writing, even in few words, you know, setting some tension, be it politics, battles, or even, you know, deeply human struggles.
Speaker B:So it's really easy to connect with all the characters.
Speaker A:I found it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And very interesting.
Speaker B:I feel like that is a very important thing a book has to do for me, is for me to kind of relate to characters or at least relate to the struggles they're facing.
Speaker A:Yep, yep.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And I mean, I've.
Speaker A:I did some.
Speaker A:Some more research just to get some.
Speaker A:Some reviews, and really, they.
Speaker A:They Put it so high on even, you know, the.
Speaker A:Not even, you know, a top 10 list.
Speaker A:But like ever, you know, your top rated books in this, in the fantasy genre ever.
Speaker A:You will find this book here.
Speaker B:So how much have you read about it?
Speaker A:I mean, from the book itself?
Speaker A:20 pages.
Speaker A:Okay, 20 pages.
Speaker A:So I mean it's.
Speaker B:What is your first imp?
Speaker A:That's like I said, you know, it's captivating.
Speaker A:I mean I might have read a bit more than 20 pages.
Speaker A:Okay, okay.
Speaker A:Perhaps 60 pages.
Speaker A:Still, first impression, character description in not too many words.
Speaker A:You could really get a connection with the characters.
Speaker A:Also the setting, the stage was for me was very visual.
Speaker A:I could imagine it very easily and you could get a sense.
Speaker A:I think that's the thing that really spoke to you.
Speaker A:Spoke to me exactly is that I was really interested in continuing reading this one and I had to put it down because I had to finish the Devils.
Speaker A:Yeah, the other one.
Speaker A:But I was like, oh man, I really want to dive into this.
Speaker A:So this will be absolutely my, my next book to read.
Speaker A:But I have to move on because many more books to.
Speaker A:Then another one, which was also recommended actually by several book sellers from different quality bookshops and also online obviously is the first, first book in a series and that's the Lies of Locke Lamora.
Speaker A: t's a trilogy that started in: Speaker A:2006.
Speaker A:6.
Speaker A:And this again is something that I'm really looking forward to because it's about a period or at least, you know, it takes its inspiration because it's not about real history, it's still fantasy, but it, it's really about swashbuckling.
Speaker A:You know, it's naval battles, it's pirates, it's.
Speaker A:It's stuff like that, but with a twist obviously.
Speaker A:And I mean Scott lynch, the author, I mean he, he started very, let's say very, very humble.
Speaker A:You know, he did all kinds of little job but writing on the side.
Speaker A:And even with his first book, I have it here.
Speaker A:Hang on, hang on.
Speaker A:Here it is.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:So with this first book from, from his series.
Speaker A:And actually the series is called the Gentleman Bastard Sequence.
Speaker A:So very odd name for a trilogy.
Speaker A:But actually, and I said trilogy, Book four is announced, but there's no date.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:I mean there's still no date, but.
Speaker A:So it's a series.
Speaker A:I shouldn't say trilogy, but up till now you have three Polish books.
Speaker A:Anywho, what's it about?
Speaker A:So it Introduces the main character being Locke Lamor.
Speaker A:It's an orphan turned master con artist and his ragtag gang of thieves in the city of Camor.
Speaker A:And it's a fantastical analog to the Renaissance Venice.
Speaker A:So you still have this link to real history, to real world, which you really like.
Speaker A:Which I really like.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:But there's a dual narrative because it threads really through the present day cons and schemes with flashbacks to the gang's formation.
Speaker A:And, you know, the stakes, they go up higher and higher when they cross a mysterious character called the.
Speaker A:The Gray King and he's threatening the underworld's delicate balance.
Speaker A:And you know, right from the start, apparently the.
Speaker A:The tone is set on a blend of crime, dark crime drama with some dark humor.
Speaker A:There we go again.
Speaker A:Humor.
Speaker A:Very important and a very nuanced world building.
Speaker A:So I'd say, you know, having heist theme, you know, pirates, some.
Speaker A:Some naval stuff.
Speaker A:A.
Speaker A:And you know, you have these geographical points where you can navigate through.
Speaker A:I mean, it speaks about not only Venice, but also London.
Speaker A:So it's.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:That got me as well.
Speaker A:And of course, I bought all three available tomes just to make sure that I have the right additions.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Moving on.
Speaker A:So book number four, this was actually mentioned by a good pal of mine.
Speaker A:And it's.
Speaker A: book by Brady Hunsacker from: Speaker A:I think it's 24 or even 25.
Speaker A:So it's very, very.
Speaker A:And it's really about ground fantasy that resonates with real world elements.
Speaker A:And so this first home.
Speaker A:Let me see if I can give you.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's the Grimnir Chronicles.
Speaker A:That's what I was looking for.
Speaker A:And I'm not sure whether I have the other names, but anyway, no, I think that's really the first.
Speaker A:First tome.
Speaker A:Let me see.
Speaker A: Yeah, it's: Speaker A:Now, a Grimnir.
Speaker A:What is a Grimnir?
Speaker A:It's a magic wielder entrusted with maintaining the protective shield around his island.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Well, because when monsters.
Speaker A:Because, yeah, there are monsters, they breach their.
Speaker A:The shield.
Speaker A:Then the stakes really skyrocket.
Speaker A:So Halleck and a little gang or group, they have to journey into the cave system of Van Alf, hence the title of the book, the Depths of Van Alf.
Speaker A:And they have to go there to gain the power they need to defend the realm.
Speaker A:So you actually go into the cave.
Speaker A:You know, you have to prove yourself Worthy.
Speaker A:And then you gain some magic.
Speaker A:And with that magic, you can defend the islands.
Speaker A:I mean, I think I put it very simple, but that's how it, how it is and how it's often described.
Speaker A:It's like progression fantasy.
Speaker A:I hadn't heard about this description before.
Speaker A:You know, progression fantasy.
Speaker B:That is also completely new to me.
Speaker A:And what it entails is it's, you know, adventure that draws clear inspiration from Scandinavian, Scandinavian folklore, the Witcher and Dungeons and Dragons.
Speaker B:So Scandinavian folklore is not a lot.
Speaker B:Something that you often see in like the more mainstream.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker B:Books.
Speaker A:And, and this is also self published, so that, that might be also reason.
Speaker A:But I mean, it's, it's a hefty book.
Speaker A:I mean, I don't know what paper they use, but it really weighs a ton, even though it's a paperback.
Speaker A:And it has, let me quickly see, still 605 pages.
Speaker B:That counts.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:So I think that's.
Speaker A:Yeah, like I mentioned, it's the blend of folklore and D and D style questing stories.
Speaker A:So I really was interested in seeing where that would go.
Speaker A:Moving on.
Speaker A:And this is actually a book that I got as a present as a late birthday present.
Speaker A:But this is a classic one.
Speaker A:It's the first one from a series.
Speaker A:Series which is called Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinneman.
Speaker B:It does ring a bell.
Speaker A:Oh yeah.
Speaker A:I mean, I got the, the hardcover version.
Speaker A:I'm a sucker for hardcover, but I can't stand hardcover.
Speaker A:Yeah, well, and so you have actually, Let me see, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 already in the series.
Speaker A:Oh, yep.
Speaker B:So is it like a continuous story or is it.
Speaker A:I have no clue.
Speaker A:See, that's, that's how bad I am.
Speaker A:It's a classic and I don't know whether it's one big, big story.
Speaker A:But I mean, what really caught my attention already, you know, prior to.
Speaker A:To receiving this, this very nice gift, is setting the scene.
Speaker A:Earth is destroyed overnight and the last survivors are forced into a massive, ever evolving dungeon broadcast as a sort of intergalactic reality show.
Speaker B:Which is super funny.
Speaker A:So I mean, that's it, right?
Speaker B:Wait, so who is tuning in to watch this?
Speaker A:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker A:And then you have Carl, which is an ordinary guy, and his equally unforgettable cat companion.
Speaker A:Cat companion.
Speaker A:I have to stress that Princess Donut.
Speaker B:Honestly, that is the least surprising thing to hear that the name of the cat Princess Donut is because cat owners will be the type of people to name their cats the most wild things you have ever heard.
Speaker A:So that was the right.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so they become the unlikely heroes.
Speaker A:You know, they have to battle through increasingly bizarre levels filled with monsters, traps and absurd challenges.
Speaker A:I mean, the series equally parts of brutal survival and sharp satire, but it's also over the top comedy.
Speaker A:See again, you know, comedy.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:But it's also said, you know, to be still able to deliver surprisingly some emotional depths.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I mean that's.
Speaker B:That's a lot that it is promising.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And I'm really looking forward.
Speaker A:So this is really on my very short to be read list, but a.
Speaker B:Lot of thick books, I might add.
Speaker A:I know, I know.
Speaker B:Well, see, you're on leave now, so you have a lot of time on your hands.
Speaker A:Well, yeah, time is running out for.
Speaker B:Fast stop planning stuff then.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then also I hadn't planned this on.
Speaker A:On my.
Speaker A:My little book review for this episode, but I finally bought also the.
Speaker A:The last book in the trilogy of the.
Speaker A:The Life Ship Trades Trader Sorry by Robin Hobb.
Speaker A:And I'm.
Speaker A:I'm very picky when I. I start a series.
Speaker A:All of them, they have to be from the same edition, right.
Speaker A:I cannot say.
Speaker B:I know.
Speaker A:You know, right?
Speaker A:So I finally got.
Speaker A:I mean there are only, only three books, right.
Speaker A:But I mean these are massive books and I'm counting like between 800 and 1,000 pages each.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So it's like, what good luck.
Speaker A:Yeah, I know.
Speaker A:But heck, I'm gonna go through them and I'm really so looking forward to all of them.
Speaker A:You know, Depths of Van Hove, but Dungeon Crawler Carl Locke, Lamora, and especially the Grace of Kings.
Speaker A:So I'm gonna do my utmost best to read as many as I can.
Speaker A:And then as a last little thing that I really want to cover, most probably I will cover it more extensively in the next episode.
Speaker A:I'll just touch upon it.
Speaker A:It's not a book, but it's for our very short section on Lorebound this episode.
Speaker A:It's a tabletop RPG game that I got also as a birthday game gift, which is called Forbidden Lands.
Speaker A:And it's by Free Leak, which is.
Speaker A:Let me just grab it.
Speaker A:I have to move some of the books and have to move a skull, no questions asked.
Speaker B:I mean, I'm in danger.
Speaker B:Please send out.
Speaker A:Moving the skull again.
Speaker A:There we go.
Speaker A:The box isn't that big, but it's really heavy.
Speaker A:It is really heavy.
Speaker A:And why I immediately saw that, you know, my.
Speaker A:My good pal, he knows me very well.
Speaker A:I mean, it's packed with two beautifully illustrated books.
Speaker A:One for the game master, one for the player.
Speaker A:And it has this immediate old school RPG feel, you know, from the 70s and 80s with what I grew up with, you know, And I mean, look at these books.
Speaker A:And they're like leather bound.
Speaker A:Ah, so cool.
Speaker A:I mean, I can, I can go on and on, on how beautiful these books are, but basically the.
Speaker A:At its, at its core, Forbidden Lands is built on the Year Zero engine.
Speaker A:I have to get accustomed to this.
Speaker A:Okay, but the Year Zero engine, it's the same system behind titles like Mutant, Year Zero, Tales from the Loop, Coriopolis.
Speaker A:So it's an engine known for its blend of narrative freedom and survival driven mechanics.
Speaker A:And here it has been refined into a sandbox style framework.
Speaker A:So it means that instead of being epic heroes out to save the world, well, actually the characters are explorers and scavengers and they're carving out their own legends.
Speaker A:And, and this is being done in a land scarred by centuries of conflict and magic.
Speaker A:So you're not really there to save the world, but you could carve your own kingdom.
Speaker A:And if it's going to cost a population to kill, well, hey, life sucks.
Speaker B:Talk about dark.
Speaker B:Going dark real quick.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:So it's really old school made modern and it has really gorgeous physical components.
Speaker A:They have the maps, the art.
Speaker A:In the book.
Speaker A:As I mentioned, it really blends exploration, survival and emergent storytelling.
Speaker A:But I'll give a full review once I played it.
Speaker A:But I've been browsing through it and.
Speaker B:We should play it.
Speaker A:We should.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And that's all I've got because I've been yapping really quick, but an hour has flown by.
Speaker A:Oh, and on a totally different note, I'm getting the first notifications for the upcoming coming Facts event, which is in November.
Speaker A:I know it's in November, but hey, mind you, November will be really quickly there.
Speaker B:Plus, I think that would be really nice to already do some scouting for cosplay projects to start.
Speaker A:Sure, sure.
Speaker A:I mean, that will be it.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And maybe, just maybe we can do some more promotional stuff at Facts as well for our podcast.
Speaker A:We'll see.
Speaker A:But I mean, that's all I've got for now.
Speaker A:And I'll have hopefully more in depth reviews of one or two books in our next episode.
Speaker A:And I'll make a promise, you know, that we won't wait another month.
Speaker B:I mean, I already have like three different things that I want to cover, so.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:So we're covered.
Speaker B:I have, I have content.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:So hopefully we'll have our next episode very soon.
Speaker A:Until then, you know, always happy to hear from you and take care.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker B:This concludes our episode.
Speaker B:So until next time, stay enchanted, stay.
Speaker A:Curious, and keep the fantasy alive.
Speaker A:Ram.
