Before you arrive…

– If you can, pre-register! It’s always easiest to get this detail out of the way. If you know you are going to attend an event consider signing up in advance. This way we will have a space reserved for you, and if you make your character during pre-registration we will have your packet all ready to go at check in. Also if you pre-register you will save $10 off admission to the game! In order to pre-register we must receive your payment no later than 2 weeks before the event. This can be done on our Event Registration page here.

If you can’t pre-register you can always send us an email and let us know you are coming. This is always helpful so we have an idea of how many new players we should prepare for so we can make sure they get the attention they deserve. Whether or not you pre-register, if there is someone you know who already attends the game and you would like to stay with them, let us know so we can make proper arrangements.

 

– Check our directions page and make sure you know how to get to the campsite. Plan your route ahead of time and try to give yourself plenty of time for traffic etc.

 

– Make sure someone knows how to reach you in case of emergency! Cell phones, beepers etc are NOT permitted during game and should be packed away during game hours. We will however make available an emergency contact phone number for events in case someone must reach you.

 

– Read the rules. We do not expect every new player to know the rules by heart, but the more familiar you are with them the easier you will be able to jump right into the action. If nothing else browse the rules and make sure to pay special attention to the “Things EVERY Player Must Know,” “Rules of Engagement,” and “Skill Calls” sections.

 

– Fill out your New Player/Character information. You may as well get this out of the way now. This will let us know who you are and who your character is so we can add you to the database. It will help check in be that much smoother. The form is available here.

 

– Fill out your liability waiver/health information. You may as well get this out of the way now. If you are under age 18 you MUST have a parent or guardian sign for you, so it has to be done before the event. If you forget to do this you CANNOT be allowed to play that weekend. We are sorry to have to be so strict on this, but legally we have to do it this way. The form is available here.

 

– Send any questions, concerns or special needs you may have to us so we can respond to them. You will have plenty of time to ask questions later, but if it’s something you’d like to address prior to an event please let us know!

 

What should you bring?

– Costuming. This is an absolute necessity for an event. The better everyone outfits themselves the better the game atmosphere will be as a whole. Costuming can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. Since we have been in this hobby for a long time we understand that sometimes costuming can be expensive and difficult to find. There are a multitude of shops on the internet that sell good costuming and range in price from inexpensive to ridiculous. If you wish to go more inexpensive, or are not sure if you will like this hobby and don’t want to invest much yet, thrift stores and garage sales can be excellent resources; you’d be surprised what you might find! Lastly you can always construct a costume by making a simple tabard. A large rectangular piece of fabric with a hole cut out in the center for your head to go through will do nicely. Wear baggy dark colored pants (like sweatpants) and a poet or other loose-fitting shirt without pictures, logos or writing on it. Belt the tabard over your costume and complete it with black or brown boots or if you must black sneakers (white sneakers are heavily frowned upon since they are so obvious). Make certain that whatever your costume it wears well and is comfortable. Make sure the shoes you pick (probably the most difficult aspect of a LARP costume) are comfortable because you will be on your feet a lot.

– Comfort Clothing. In addition to your costume, bear in mind you will be outdoors for a good portion of a typical event. Be prepared! Will it be cold? Damp? Rainy? Check the weather forecast link and take appropriate measures. Long underwear or sweats under your costume, a heavy cloak and/or an extra pair of socks can make all the difference of the weekend. If you are unprepared for the weather it might spoil an otherwise great weekend. An extra set of regular clothes is also a good idea for when the event is over and it’s time to go home.

– Sleeping Bag and Pillow. Camp Sacajawea has platform tents with sleeping mats, and there is also limited space in 3 separate dormitory-style cabins with spring steel bunk beds. A sleeping bag which is well rated is a minimum. A personal mattress pad or similar comfort item is highly recommended. Other sites we use will be similarly rustic. Most times cabins and buildings are unheated or minimally heated. As with proper clothing for an event, if you freeze all night or are otherwise uncomfortable it might ruin your event.

 

– Food and Drink. RoA does not supply any food or drink. There will be drinks available at the tavern for in-game money and there is usually a hot meal served at minimal cost on Saturday evening. Players can set up tabs at check in so they have no need to carry and potentially lose real world money while playing the game. Any leftover money is refunded at the end of the event at check out. We plan to offer some additional food out of the kitchen for future events. You should still bring plenty of food to keep yourself well fed for the event and not rely on food from the tavern. Events beyond our control can impact the availability of meals. Bring plenty of drink, more than you think you will need! Dehydration can happen quickly and unexpectedly when you are running around and playing all weekend, especially in the cold weather believe it or not! The best choice of beverage is water or something else that will re-hydrate you. Sodas and other caffeinated drinks tend to have the opposite effect. Water is always free and available at the tavern. You will not be charged in game or out of game money for a drink of water for safety reasons. Lastly, alcoholic beverages are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. You should also not bring any “non-alcoholic” beers as these can cause confusion and ruin in-game interactions if you need to be approached and questioned. As far as food goes, try to use your best judgment on what and how much to bring. A bag of candy bars may seem like a good idea when you are in the supermarket but it probably is not a good choice for the weekend. Food that is quick and easy to prepare and eat is best. Sandwiches, granola bars, fruit, bread and cheeses are good for this. Try to keep your food stowed away in clearly out of game areas and if possible make your food appear in-game. Modern wrappers etc. should be used and disposed of discretely.

 

– Light Sources. Flashlights and other modern devices may NOT be used outside the cabins during the game. A beam of light such as this spoils the whole atmosphere we are trying to create. You may use these after game off or within the confines of your cabin if you must. For in-game areas you may use glowsticks which function as “light spells.” Battery operated Krill® Lamps can be purchased online at www.kriana.com.

– Medical/Outdoor Supplies. A first aid kit is always available on-site, but it is never a bad idea to bring your own including Band-Aids, and other supplies. Tylenol, Aspirin or whatever you like to cure headaches, stomachaches and the like is also good to have just in case. If you take any medication regularly remember to bring that too and if you have any serious conditions or allergies please alert staff so we can be aware of it. Lastly bring anything you might need such as bug repellent, sunscreen etc. We will be in a wooded area and precautions are always wise.

– Shower/Hygiene Supplies. Showers should be available for use most often when we are using the camp. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush etc. are a good idea. We will thank you for it. Shower shoes and a towel are also recommended.

 

– Boffer Weapons and Armor. Bring your boffer sword, staff etc. with you to the event; you’d be surprised how often people forget! DO NOT BRING REAL WEAPONS OF ANY TYPE. Leave knives, pocketknives, axes or any other real weapons at home. If you have them onsite you may be asked to leave. If the weapon poses a serious threat you will be turned over to the camp ranger to be dealt with. In effect we have zero tolerance towards real weapons. You should also bring duct tape, spare foam etc. to repair your boffer weapons in case they are damaged during the event. For more info on making boffer weapons click here to view and download our boffer making guide. Also if you have in-game armor, bring that also!

– Money. Bring enough money to cover your costs for the event. See prices/fees for more info. We will also try to have merchants at events selling various items. You may want to have some money for these items. Lastly as mentioned in the Food and Drink section we typically have food available in the tavern for a Saturday night meal, and may expand this shortly. If you feel you would like to purchase any bring some money for that. If food will be served we will make every effort to let everyone know what kind of food it is and what it costs before the event begins.

 

– Liability Waiver/Health Information. Bring your completed waiver with you. This is especially important if you are under 18 as your parent/guardian MUST sign for you. The form is available here.

– Spell Packets and Prop Bandages. If you are a spell-caster bring spell packets with you. If you have the First Aid skill, bring prop bandages with you.

– Props. Bring these along to dress up your cabin and improve the atmosphere of the game!

– Trash Bags. The occupants of any cabin, lean-to or campsite are responsible for keeping their area clean and free of garbage. Clean up after yourself! We are guests at the campsite, and it should be left cleaner than how we found it.

 

– Notepad and Pencil. You will meet lots of people and find out lots of things. In case you decide to write it down you should have these items. Bear in mind that in order to utilize these during game hours you should have the Literacy skill.

– Donations. This is entirely optional. RoA is an expensive proposition for those running it, between camp costs, insurance, props, food for cast etc. Still we strive to present the best overall gaming experience we possibly can. Because of this we ask that players consider donating props, supplies, or even their time to helping RoA run smoothly and provide an excellent overall atmosphere. If you donate items or time you will be rewarded with service points which can be used to acquire great in-game items, some available only in this manner.

Although we have made every effort to make this list complete, there may be more items you need. Make your own list in addition to this one in case we missed anything!

Once you arrive…

Once you get to the site, park your car and go to the sign up area. Do NOT unpack yet! Speak to someone in the sign up area and tell them you are a new player. They will tell you where you will be staying and then you can go unpack your things. The area under your bed is ALWAYS out-of game and no one is permitted to rifle through your belongings under there. All your out of game items should be kept here. Likewise you may not hide in-game items such as coins, gems etc. under there. Try to lock any valuable items in your car.

 

– There is a designated area for parking in an out of game area. Park your car there.

 

– Once you are settled you should find out when check in begins. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get into costume and get yourself ready for the game.

 

– Proceed to the check in/sign up area and check yourself in. If you pre-registered you will already be on the list and have your character packet waiting for you. Look through your information and see if anything is wrong, missing, or if you do not understand it. There should be a new player liaison there to assist you and help answer your questions. If you did not pre-register or did not make up your character at pre-registration the new player liaison will direct you where to go to get your character made up and your questions answered. It is at the check in area that your boffer weapons will be inspected for safety. Only those passing inspection may be used. Also if you have armor you would like evaluated for points, please show it to the people working registration and they will assign a value to your armor.

 

– Before leaving the check in area, sign up for a MANDATORY shift. All players are required to give 2 hours back to the game during the weekend. Most often this will be general casting duty or wandering monster duty, but a variety of other tasks are needed such as kitchen help and organizing props in logistics. After you have checked in there will be a sign in sheet where you can choose a shift. Provided there are spots available you can do this with your friends. Once this duty has been completed make sure you get your character sheet signed by the person you report to. If you forget this you will not get points for the weekend! It is our sincere wish to eliminate this requirement over time when we build a large enough cast pool, but for now this helps to make a better game for everyone. If you wish to volunteer more time than this let us know! For the volunteer service you will receive character and/or service points!

 

– Once you are checked in, had your weapons and armor inspected, signed up for your shift and have your character sheet, listen for announcements regarding the “New Player Meeting.” This is MANDATORY. The meeting will cover basic safety and important information you will need to know for the game. You may also ask questions at the end for any additional clarifications you may need.

 

– After the “New Player Meeting,” you will be directed to the Opening Ceremonies where you will be given relevant information for the event and once everyone is ready we will announce “GAME ON!” From this point forward you will be in the world of Realms of Adventure, we hope you enjoy your stay!

*Note – Game runs until 4AM Friday night and it is game off from 4:01AM until 8:59AM Saturday. Saturday game runs from 9:00AM – 3:00 AM, and game off is again from 3:01AM – 8:59AM. On Sunday game runs from 9:00AM until 1:00PM (sometimes later as discussed at the pre-game meeting). During game off you cannot be attacked, robbed etc. This is so everyone (including cast and staff) has adequate time to rest and recuperate. We have found this makes for a better game for everyone. If you are on a cast led module past 3:00AM, the game on time for you may be extended. Best judgment is used here.

 

Continue on to “A Brief Overview of Character Creation”