Maelstrom Rules - Additional Information: IC & OOC

IC And OOC
You are always assumed to be IC (in-character) if you are wearing any costume whilst in an IC area. This means that your character can be attacked, killed or robbed, etc. To allow you to stop playing your character long enough to go to the toilet, visit GOD, put up a tent or similar activities, we will provide you with a bright yellow armband at the first event that you attend. Put your armband on to stop roleplaying and go OOC (out-of-character). You will be charged if you need another one so please keep it safe between events.

You can only go OOC (i.e. put the OOC armband on / enter an OOC area) if no one around you has an objection. When you wish to go IC again then you must return to the spot where you put the armband on and take it off. Consult a referee if you believe that there is a reason why this would be inappropriate. If you are OOC when you are in an IC area and someone who is IC objects to your presence then you must leave that area. You should ask permission before OOC entering an IC area that is not considered your own, e.g. another group’s glade or tent.

GOD and all toilet and shower facilities are always OOC areas. All IC areas become OOC at night after the hours of time-in role-playing end. The hours of time-in and all IC areas will be clearly stated in the event guide that you receive for each event that you attend.

IC Tents
Any character who possesses the social status advantage must bring an IC tent large enough to hold them and their retinue to each event. At some Profound Decisions events, the OOC camping area is separate from the IC game area. In this case, only appropriate tents may be pitched in the IC area. Notification of this will be in the specific event guide for that event.

Any tent may be placed in the IC game area if its appearance is obviously appropriate for the setting from the outside, for example, an ex-army or historical style canvas tent. Any tent may be placed in the IC game area if it is appropriately dressed on the inside and is intended for IC use.

To count as an IC tent, the tent must be pitched in the IC game area. It must also be possible for any player who is IC to enter and use a significant portion of any IC tent throughout time in, although you may screen off a section for OOC use. A tent must meet both the appearance and access requirements to count as the IC tent that houses your retinue.

Site Bounds
The IC site boundaries will be clearly marked in the event guide. All role-playing must be conducted in the IC areas of the site during time-in. Consensual role-playing is allowed in IC areas after time-out, e.g. the casino in the early hours in the morning.

If you are not playing your primary character in the IC area (for example, you are playing a secondary or are eating in the OOC area), then your character is considered to be completely inactive and cannot take any actions. You cannot roleplay outside the IC site boundaries. You should avoid IC conversations in these areas and must not trade lammies with other characters. You cannot guard prisoners or try to conduct supplication outside the IC area. If your character is pursued into an OOC area during time-in, then please consult a referee immediately.

OOC Item
Any item that you own which is strictly OOC may be marked as such by tying a yellow piece of material to the item. This can be used for marking off an OOC area within your IC tent, etc. This must not be used on lammies or any container of lammies which are part of the event.

And so it began......

Dawn breaks, war looms, the evil Lord is gathering his armies to wage a campaign of destruction upon the free peoples of the world. It is up to I, Sir Maximilan Pegasus to stop him, with my trusted band of adventurers we must gather the enchanted sword of Tek, the Shield of Way-Lem and the amulet of Subsidence and together we shall slay this abomination! “TIME FREEZE” And bam, the fantasy world fades away, the enchanted sword of Tek in my hand is a rubber sword smothered in coloured ribbons with a laminated card cable tied to the hilt, I look down and I’m wearing plastic armour and unflattering heropants, and the magical world of my imagination washes away to reveal a field in Wigan, but you know what? It’s larp and I’m a larper, it’s what I do.
I started larping when I was 17, I’d never role-played before, I’d never played D&D or Warhammer, never played WoW or any form of online game, I’d never even read Lord of the Rings, I feel somewhat privileged that I hadn’t done any of those things, I think it gave me an untainted attitude towards what larp could be, I had no preconceptions about saving the maiden fair, slaying the dragon or smiting the liche, to me it was just a new thing to try.
It was cold, really cold, 10am on a September morning, the rain was battering down and I’d been given a faux fur tunic, a mouldy old sword and been pointed towards a man and told, “You’re monstering, there’s the ref he’ll tell you what to do.” I obeyed, I played wave after wave of zombies, orcs and various line monsters and to be honest, was cold, bored and hungry. That is, until lunchtime, the teams switched sides, I got into the kit I’d scrounged up, as with most first timers, a black trenchcoat. I took the mouldy old sword, stood with my fellow adventurers and it hit me, I’m a god damn hero!
Pow, there it was, a new larper was born.