Contributor: Rick Pierce
Submission: In-Game writing from Zephyr's character history (character background)
LARP system: Madrigal / Accelerant
Your Location: Connecticut, USA
Character name: Zephyr
Years LARPing: 22
Contact Email: rgpierce@earthlink.net
Read Part One!
This is the second part of Zephyr's character history. Character histories are fictive pieces, generally written by PCs, that provide a background for a LARP character. This background explains a character's motivations, personality, goals, hopes, fears etc. Character histories also provide plot staff with material to facilitate interesting game-play. While some character histories are brief and minimal, many individuals use this written record as a way to assert their characters within the framework of the game universe.
LARP system: Madrigal / Accelerant
Your Location: Connecticut, USA
Character name: Zephyr
Years LARPing: 22
Contact Email: rgpierce@earthlink.net
Read Part One!
This is the second part of Zephyr's character history. Character histories are fictive pieces, generally written by PCs, that provide a background for a LARP character. This background explains a character's motivations, personality, goals, hopes, fears etc. Character histories also provide plot staff with material to facilitate interesting game-play. While some character histories are brief and minimal, many individuals use this written record as a way to assert their characters within the framework of the game universe.
This piece, from Zephyr's character history, was written November 26, 2006 (1516 Madrigal time). "Shadowfane" is a fictional town in Madrigal's country Aerune. It is the center of Madrigal's narrative, and PCs start, and gather in Shadowfane. Each LARP event is, in fact, called "a Gather," indicating a time when the characters come together, in Shadowfane or a related territory. "The town" is a central part of Accelerant LARPs, and serves as a unifying location for all PCs. When writing character, new Madrigal PCs often incorporate a reason for why they have decided to travel to Shadowfane. In general, character histories also allow PCs to explore how they are going to roleplay a character.
I was 22 when it happened.
I first saw Tandra over the top of my stand when I was playing "The Joy of My Life". I wonder if that was a sign of things to come from the Sisters. She had a fire in her eyes that completely captured my attention. I was lost and couldn't pull myself away. I had trained to keep an eye on my surroundings and keep playing in spite of distractions, but this was something about which Berseverillian had never warned me. I don't remember playing the rest of the song, but the crowd's applause brought me out of those eyes, so I must have finished it in spite of my preoccupation. I decided to play "Have a Drink with Me" before breaking, and I was very careful to avoid falling into the same trap, even though my thoughts strayed several times. I couldn't imagine what was wrong with me.
I grabbed two drinks, and found my way over to her. She had been watching me the entire time and I was pretty sure that she was going to have that drink with me. Her name was Tandra Vestaria. We talked easily and she stayed until the place closed, listening for the rest of evening as I performed. She came up to my room in the tavern, and we talked well into the wee hours. She wanted to know all about me and I happily obliged, holding back nothing, even to the point of telling her about my fear. She laughed at that and I thought that would end our relationship before it even began, but instead, it amused her in a way unlike those who had previously laughed at me for it. I was happy for her laugh. When I tried to find out more about her, she said it was late and that she must be home before her father awoke and found her out so late. She wouldn't allow me to walk her home and we kissed before she departed.
Over the next few months I began to stay more and more in that area and every time I returned we would rendezvous. She was a wonderful musician as well and she often joined me in performing. Our love grew, and there were many nights she shared my bed instead of going home, willing to face her father's wrath to be with me. She talked of joining me in my travels, and how romantic it sounded seeing different places. She even talked of maybe traveling outside the Eurvein halls and seeing the surface lands.
She was quite coy when asked about her family in general, but I didn't mind. She dodged questions by kissing me and distracting me in other ways. She could keep all the secrets in the world as far as I was concerned. I assumed that she just didn't want to talk about them, and that as soon as our relationship became more, she would take me and introduce me. I wish I'd never found out the truth.
I returned there on my 23rd birthday (1493) expecting to celebrate with Tandra after performing. I got up in front of the crowd looking for her. She was nowhere to be seen. I spent the evening trying to figure out what could possibly keep her from being there. She knew I was coming. When the last of the crowd had drifted away, I was approached by a rather distinguished Eurvein with two guards that I had noticed throughout the evening. He introduced himself as Makerzie Vestaria. He said he was Tandra's father. He was a perfect match for the description she'd given me. He asked me to sit and talk. I got the impression it was more a demand than a request and judging from the weapons on the guards' hips, it would have been foolish to turn him down.
Here ends Part Two.
I grabbed two drinks, and found my way over to her. She had been watching me the entire time and I was pretty sure that she was going to have that drink with me. Her name was Tandra Vestaria. We talked easily and she stayed until the place closed, listening for the rest of evening as I performed. She came up to my room in the tavern, and we talked well into the wee hours. She wanted to know all about me and I happily obliged, holding back nothing, even to the point of telling her about my fear. She laughed at that and I thought that would end our relationship before it even began, but instead, it amused her in a way unlike those who had previously laughed at me for it. I was happy for her laugh. When I tried to find out more about her, she said it was late and that she must be home before her father awoke and found her out so late. She wouldn't allow me to walk her home and we kissed before she departed.
Over the next few months I began to stay more and more in that area and every time I returned we would rendezvous. She was a wonderful musician as well and she often joined me in performing. Our love grew, and there were many nights she shared my bed instead of going home, willing to face her father's wrath to be with me. She talked of joining me in my travels, and how romantic it sounded seeing different places. She even talked of maybe traveling outside the Eurvein halls and seeing the surface lands.
She was quite coy when asked about her family in general, but I didn't mind. She dodged questions by kissing me and distracting me in other ways. She could keep all the secrets in the world as far as I was concerned. I assumed that she just didn't want to talk about them, and that as soon as our relationship became more, she would take me and introduce me. I wish I'd never found out the truth.
I returned there on my 23rd birthday (1493) expecting to celebrate with Tandra after performing. I got up in front of the crowd looking for her. She was nowhere to be seen. I spent the evening trying to figure out what could possibly keep her from being there. She knew I was coming. When the last of the crowd had drifted away, I was approached by a rather distinguished Eurvein with two guards that I had noticed throughout the evening. He introduced himself as Makerzie Vestaria. He said he was Tandra's father. He was a perfect match for the description she'd given me. He asked me to sit and talk. I got the impression it was more a demand than a request and judging from the weapons on the guards' hips, it would have been foolish to turn him down.
Here ends Part Two.
Uh oh.
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