Domain of the Dark Embrace
Copyright ©1997-1999 Daniel B Utecht. All Rights Reserved.

The Camarilla is a fan club for the games produced by White Wolf Game Studios in its World of Darkness line.

The World of Darkness setting is copyrighted by White Wolf Game Studios. MIND'S EYE THEATRE, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Vampire:The Masquerade, and a number of other terms are also trademarks of WWGS. These pages are a supplement to the books by WWGS and the Camarilla, not a replacement.

A live action role playing game is much like an amateur theatre group. Every person is cast in at least one role, there is a plot (hopefully), a setting, and there are protagonists and antagonists. The only things missing that makes this different from normal theater is a predetermined script and many props. The players determine what their character actually does. Most props are nothing more than business card stock with the item descriptions on it. This is done in the interest of safety so that no player can brandish fake weapons or have to purchase expensive objects.

The essential parts of a live action game are:

Live Action Role-Playing

based on the Original LARP FAQ by Aimee Yermish, Mike Horrill and Marcus Hill
revised by Daniel Utecht.

What is Live Role Playing?

The Mind's Eye Theatre has its roots in both the "traditional" adventure role-playing games, and in improvisational theater.

As in any role-playing game each player takes on the role of a fictional character. You play your character much as you would in any role playing setting but even more so. Instead of saying what actions your character takes, you actually make most those actions for real. Game mechanics are in place for handling difficult situations but for the duration of the game you act as if are the person you are portraying. The border where physical portrayal stops and abstract rules start is a matter of safety. If what is happening can affect a player physically (combat, running, climbing, etc.) it must be accomplished using the Mind's Eye Theatre (MET) rules.

The basic idea is somewhat like improvising a play with nothing but a knowledge of the background and motivations of your character. Sometimes these will be decided by you, sometimes by others, depending on the style of game you play. Each of the other players will have a character he or she is playing, and the interaction of the characters creates a story. For some styles of MET games, this is the entirety of the game. For others, there is an adventure gaming element, where your character might have some specific goals to achieve, either alone or with the help of others. This might range from "Rescue the kidnapped Toreador Elder" to "Hunt down the evil Fomori", again depending on the style of game.

Most MET games involve a large number of players (from twenty to over a hundred at a time) who walk around and talk with each other, acting out as much of their characters' actions as are allowed within the rules. Unlike many tabletop role-playing games (D&D and other games of its ilk), most live role-playing games have a strong emphasis on player-player interaction as well as interaction with the world which is controlled by the Storyteller, in fact in some games, the STs have no input into the events of the game beyond interpreting the rules after the game has started, making the games very social events as well as intellectual and creative challenges.

Why do it?

Because it's fun! People enjoy live action role-playing for a whole number of reasons. Some for escapism because it's lots of fun to be someone else for a few hours or a few days at a time, for the social aspects of the game and the opportunity to meet new people and for the pure exhilaration of letting your mind run wild in a world of complete fantasy. Some players of The Apocalypse like the opportunity to get away from their desks and do something physical in the fresh air.

It's not dangerous, is it?

No. All groups who run any kind of MET games consider safety very important. There is no running around in sewers, no swinging of even fake weapons, and no real demon-summoning. Storytellers and players alike stress that these are games, not substitute realities. The Mind's Eye Theatre uses "abstract" mechanics use systems based largely on scissors-paper-rock, rendering the whole event little more dangerous than a walk in the park. There is more description of these systems later in this document; rest assured that these are not dangerous or satanic games. (There is further information explaining the falsehood of this sort of accusation, which is frequently leveled against role-playing games in general, in the rec.games.frp.* FAQs)

Who wins?

Everyone and No-One. Everyone has fun. "Winning" isn't the point of live role playing games, its the taking part that is the fun. (Yes I know you can say that about any game but MET games are probably one of the few where it is true.)

Yes, sometimes you'll come away from an adventure having accomplished your goals, sometimes you won't. Most games are set up so that it isn't possible for everyone to "win" all the time. If there's no chance of failure, success doesn't have much sweetness. Dramatic role-playing and creative interaction are what's really important, and what's really fun. Some of the most legendary scenes happen when people are "losing." More so than in any other form of gaming, how you play your character and how much fun you have are far more important than who does better or worse than you.

Do I need experience? What if I don't know anyone there? What if I'm shy? Who are these people, anyway?

Don't worry. Many people who play these games have played tabletop role-playing games, but many others have not. Lots of other real-life activities are excellent preparation for live role-playing. If you've ever daydreamed about being someone else, or about being in a different world, you've got what you need.

Besides, most game designers set things up to give experienced players incentive to help new players along. You'll probably have knowledge or abilities that other people need. Other people will help you out, not just because they're nice, but because they need your help.

And they are nice, too. These aren't wild-eyed lunatics or immature geeks they're ordinary people from all walks of life, who happen to like using their imaginations and sharing the experience with other people. All live role-playing games are very social it's a great way to meet new friends.

Can I team with my friends?

Of course! Just let the Storytellers or Coordinators know ahead of time. Really big teams often get broken up into smaller ones, just to keep things balanced, but you'll practically always get to stay with at least a few of your friends. In some games, this will mean that you will have characters who share goals and beliefs, and who would have reasons to work together. In others, the whole ethos is on your character as part of a group of adventurers who rely upon each other to survive.

You might just find your character at odds with the characters of your friends. This can lead to some interesting plot lines, and can further increase the amount of fun you have.

So how do they work? Who runs them? How do I get involved?

Rules are designed to be as simple as possible, and to require little or no real physical action on the part of the players. About the most violent thing you'll do is hit your own hand while making hand gestures. Games are usually run indoors for vampires, or outdoors for werewolves, or in hotels at gaming conventions.

There are many MET games throughout the world. You can find most of them by going to the Yahoo search page and looking for LARPs. The Camarilla is one organization that spans the globe with MET games.

What do I do about costume and props?

Some chapters prefer that you make at least a token effort at costuming, but don't have the "costume police" associated with some re-enactment societies. However, since the Vampires and Garou have long established laws to prevent normal humans from knowing of their existence, regular attire is common.

Most groups leave costuming to your taste, but require certain makeup and prosthetics to be worn by those playing certain roles, for instance "all players playing Bone Gnawers must dress like street bums." This allows others to identify your character's race at a glance. Many vampire players own false fangs that range in price from 50 cents at novelty shops to over 50 dollars done at dentists. Wraiths are not required to die and come back from the dead, as that would violate the safety rule, and would cause the player to be excluded from further play.

Most groups have a strong emphasis on making everything in the game look and feel as real as possible, which allows a strong atmosphere to be created. You may be provided with props, or you may need to provide them yourself, depending on the situation. Under NO circumstances are any prop weapons to be brought to the game. Never. If your character has a weapon, get an item card from a storyteller or narrator for it. No exceptions.

Most props are index cards with descriptions of the items, although most STs like to include as many "real" props as they can afford. Because of the many different genres, and the frequency of "one shot" events, TS groups often do not maintain props, but print cards symbolizing items. Most groups that run the same event over and over try to accumulate real props, or at least realistic props.

How do magic and the paranormal work?

Each paranormal ability a character possesses has a rule for it. You don't have to remember all the rules, just the ones for the few abilities you have. All games have one Storyteller who should know all the rules, but there should also be assistants and narrators that will help you. Experienced players are expected to help out new players with the rules, so if you have a question, just ask.

How do other skills work?

Your character will have a brief list of abilities that can be accomplished. Most actions like lock picking, first aid, and speaking foreign languages that require training to learn must be listed on your sheet. Actions like driving, climbing, and brawling that are really easy can be accomplished without them being listed, but they are more difficult. A narrator or storyteller will determine the difficulty of most of the things you will do. Then, the two of you will play the game of scissors-paper-rock (SPR). If you win, you're successful, if you lose, your attempt fails. Ties are a little tricky, but you'll get the hang of what will happen fairly soon.

What kind of characters are there? How do I create one? How do I improve my skills?

In most MET games, the characters are Vampires, some Garou, and some games are a mix in contact with the storyteller or narrator before the game, and make one ahead of time.

Characters improve over time, and can learn new abilities and gain powers. The amount you can improve is up to the storyteller. At the end of the night (or when they feel like it) you will be given a number of points to record. You can use these experience points to improve your character.

Can I play a monster / bad guy?

Most people would consider Vampires and Werewolves the bad guys. If you wanted to play an antagonist like a Sabbat Vampire, Black Spiral Dancer, Fomori, or a human hunter, ask your storyteller. Just don't get too attached to your character. You'll be the target de jour.

What happens if my character gets killed?

Remember it's just a game. See your storyteller about being an NPC for the rest of the evening, or spend the time making up a new character. It is considered bad form to hold a grudge against the characters that caused your downfall, as the new character you come into the game with knows nothing of what has transpired.

Where do you play? How often? What's the schedule like?

This is something that varies widely from event to event. Most major colleges and universities have games attached to them. The Camarilla has its own central web site, and many chapters have their own sites. You should contact the regional or district coordinator closest to you for more information.

How many people play?

While some games are written for as few as eight people or as many as two hundred, most are written for twenty to ninety players. Rather than forming a small clique, you spend the weekend interacting with anyone you come across in order to advance your goals, so you really do play with all those other people, and it's to your advantage to deal with everyone else in the game -- most of them have some knowledge or abilities you can benefit from, if you can convince them to help you. Most games are organized into factions of 3-8 people (rarely is a faction more than 10% of a game), so you have allies, but traitors and multiple loyalties are common.

How much does it cost?

The Camarilla can cost as much as $18 per year, but a group of up to five people can join at one time for an additional fee, bringing the price per person down to about half that.

If the game is run at a convention, players are usually required to join the convention, and a fee range for the game can run from free (rare) to five to ten dollars a night. Sometimes, the STs are able to arrange discounted convention memberships for game players.

You are on your own for food and sleeping arrangements in most games, although some STs provide munchies (as do many conventions). More commonly, a collection is taken up for refreshments. Occasionally, a game will be offered as a package deal, but prices are highly variable.

You do not need to bring or buy any other costuming, equipment, or supplies -- everything you need to play the games is included in your registration fee.

Can children play? What about people with disabilities?

The largest MET organization, The Camarilla, requires members to be 18 years old in order to play.

People with disabilities are welcome, and STs will make every effort to help you be able to play freely. Your character does not share your disability. It's best to discuss your particular needs with the STs ahead of time, so they can make whatever arrangements are necessary.

Boy, Live Role-playing sounds like a great party!

It is. But no Camarilla group which runs any sort of live role-playing game permits alcohol or drugs in its games. This is in the interest of safety, and to insure that everyone has fun.

MET games are also a very good way to make friends. Most chapters have social functions on a regular basis where nothing is discussed between characters. Some will organize movie nights, costume workshops, dinner parties, and other events not related to the game.

How do I find out what events are coming up? How do I get my event listed?

The Camarilla has its own central web site, and many chapters have their own sites. You should contact the regional or district coordinator closest to you for more information.

White Wolf has their own web pages, with games listed there, too.

This page (like every other page on the web) is currently under construction, and was last updated sometime this year.
Please send all suggestions and comments to: Daniel B Utecht.