Maerquin 35 - Consolidatie

[janestarz]

Such fun to play a character with a secret, and more so to play in a group that has a collective secret. I guess most people can understand that much -- that our characters might not have been as innocent as they looked -- but our cover identity worked a little too well to most people's tastes.

We dragged our bollerwagen and asses in character and on we went. Wilhelm, Johannes, Betje, Dieter, Steyn and Bella. For all that I tried ("call me Isa") people soon copied my cousins and everyone called me Bella. (Since there's already a "Jacob" time-in, we just need a glitter-vampire called Edward to have the set completed!)
Our group was instantly recognisable, being a splash of colour in the dark inn, and we blended in well. Simple villagers we might be, and not a single hero among us, we each had our trade to ply. Steyn the smith sharpened knives, Wilhelm took notes at meetings, Dieter procured a hunting license, Betje tried to trade (although most players were too busy to even notice) and Johannes spoke at great length to every priest or faithful follower of a God he could find.
I cooked. Quite successfully, I might add.

I started out with beef, some still attached to some bone that was full of marrow. Water and some broth cubes started it off quite nicely. The iron grill fitted neatly in the fireplace and the coffee pot fitted nicely next to my big pan. White radish (rettich, a bit like daikon), carrot, celery stalk, parsley, parsnip and pumpkin followed. I had a lovely basket in my bollerwagen, filled with honest vegetables!
Every time we took a sip of the soup, it tasted differently. After an hour or so, Dieter had gotten the fire so hot the soup was boiling.

When I started serving, the players flocked to my campfire. None of them stayed for very long, and hardly any tried to make conversation. By the time Saturday evening rolled around we were scrambling. Apparantly there was a story to this larp, but nobody was ready to include us. Ingrid the Dwarf had said people often had conversations, which went like this: "Do you remember that thing we wanted to do last time, but we couldn't because it was dangerous and we were still missing that thingy? Well, do you want to try again?" -- and off they went, without telling you what they were about or whether you might be able to help.

Maybe our disguises worked too perfectly, for who would include simple villagers into their heroic business?
But when Hugo returned from one of his quests, saying proudly he'd blown up a bridge, he didn't quite take the hint when I exclaimed "You did what? But why? Did the bridge need blowing up? Are you a criminal? Was it needful? What is going on here?!"
We'd had a good half our with Todo the Zwarte Gardist, who patiently explained what was going on earlier that afternoon, but that was after the declaration that we would each need to do our bit in the war, and that we'd be fighting slaves, and that our mages would be the vanguard. (If it sounds confusing, it was; you have about as little context as we did back then.)

It made it all the more frustrating to play.
I can imagine everyone being busy; it's their fun to come to a larp to have an adventure just as much as it is ours. I was just a little miffed at the fact that so very few people took the time to introduce themselves to us. People just bought the soup, and then they went about their business. I didn't sign up to be the caterer. I signed up and paid to have an adventure too. We brought 30 euro's of vegetables just for five minutes of people slurping a soup they paid for in-character. I made pots of conserved and fruits and jellies nobody even deigned to look at.

So yes, I was surprised to see anastaszia at the Sunday speech -- I hadn't even seen her IT for a minute before that moment, she was so busy with her own things that I never even ran into her!
Yes, I was a little annoyed when Fedor shouted my name through the inn, when he hadn't even taken a moment to officially meet me. (Also: I'm not the tavern harlot you just shout at.)
Even the gnomes, who would have been such wonderful tea-mates, were too busy to drop by and have a bit of a chin-wag. (Although Liesl finding the "bread-making machine" was one of the better parts of my weekend!)

But I also had a good time with good people. My IT family; we worked together quite well. And some other mismatched players who happily joined at our fire and enjoyed our company. One player in particular who saw through our cover identity, and one NPC who heard our whole story and was left with her mouth gaping open. And then there was polomeus who gave us a big compliment: "You come in with a group large enough to take over the entire setting, but you don't. You make good, small play worth playing."

Comments

[erwinl.livejournal.com]

I tried to talk with the group on Friday twice, when there was nobody else there, but got ignored both times. The sole discussion I did have (don't remember with whom), didn't go further than 'Why do you carry weapons' and 'why would you fight with the Dragonspawn (not certain about the translation)'. Which was a strange discussion considering we had been attacked by undead and the Dragonspawn by that point. Also remember the proclamation by the baron concerning the Dragonspawn.
It all gave me the vibe that the play that was wished, was only within the group. Thus I tried not to interfere in that play.

IC the Alexey, after these experiences, thought of the group as some peasants which had been so remote from the daily life, that they hadn't even heard from the baron's proclamation and that they were unable, or unwilling to help with the coming fights. So had to be protected, like the other people behind the counter inside.

If that was not the case. Alexey was each morning IC in front of the location or in the near wood from 9 AM onwards. He would have been happy to explain all the things that were going on (except for the cloak and dagger stuff) and to listen to things that would be said. It gave some nice discussions with several people in that quiet time of the morning. Unfortunately not with this group.

[anemoona.livejournal.com]

Jammer dat je het zo ervaren hebt. Ik had een boel getypt hoe ik jullie groep gezien heb, maar weer weggehaald. Dat kan beter een keer in persoon verteld worden. Ik bel je!

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

I went to bed no later than one am, and slept soundly until ten every morning, so that might be one of the reasons I missed you. I blame Assen ;-)

[erwinl.livejournal.com]

Well. That doesnt help. I agree.
But I didn't see the rest of the group either.

As said.
The vibe I got from the group, was that play with outsiders, aside from speaking as ignorant peasants, was not appreciated.
That might not have been the intention, but the impression was there.
That's why I ended up ignoring the group, because that was what was wanted.

And it might be that more people felt that way as well. (but don't know, because I can't speak for other people).

[nathreee.livejournal.com]

I agree with Erwin. I certainly felt like my trying to make conversation, or even eye-contact, with you was somehow unwelcome. So I didn't.

We shared a hilarious moment in a dressing room searching a lady for demonic tattoos. That was over when you quickly left again, I didn't even have a chance to turn it into conversation.

I must say, Tim and I had a very nice hour in which he beautifully wrote an official letter for me, that was susprisingly friendly.

Your group was very aloof, it seemed to me.