L.A.R.P.: WHAT WE DO IS SECRET

Me and some bros on a recent 4-day LARP bender>>









L.A.R.P. stands for Live Action Role Playing, the real-world successor to Gary Gygax's all-powerful Dungeons & Dragons game. It is gaining acceptance as a real sport in the mainstream world, thanks to recent publicity in the media (LARPing played a major role ((pardon the pun)) in the recent Hollywood blockbuster "Role Models"). I know there is nothing I enjoy more than getting dressed up as my favorite wizard or orc on a Saturday morning and gathering up some bros for a rad LARP session. We all pile into the minivan, and Sweet Baby Jay drives us down to Golden Gate Park, returning hours later to pick us up, exhausted, sweaty, and out of manna (internal magical essence used for casting spells).

LARPing is definitely a way of life, an experience in a magical realm that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. I have done my best to pass along the LARP ethic to my own son Calvyn, and judging by the picture below, it's totally working.



Anyhow, here's a recent LARP-related music video from Portland's Red Fang. The song is called "Prehistoric Dog". At first I was confused by its seemingly negative portrayal of LARPers, but stick with it. No spoilers, but they get their revenge!