The characters
We want the characters at this larp to have a connection to Elysium, either by relationships with people there, or stakes in the future of the outpost. Think about a way to connect your character to the place, the people, the politics or the story. At signup, you will have the option of attaching your character to story hooks that the organisers have put together.
We also want a buzzing settlement feeling, and will, if needed, prioritise groups that offer food, trade and services.
Below you will find examples and ideas of the type of characters we’d love to see fill the streets and ruins of Elysium.
OUTPOSTER
Character suggestions: merchant, trader, vendor, bodyguard, writer, diplomat, pit fight manager, town crier, bouncer, business owner, engineer, food stall owner, scavenger, tinkerer, artisan, scout, medic, heavy laborer, builder, crafter, entertainer, technician, miner, beggar, pit fighter, drug dealer, hunter. And so on.
You play: a permanent settler in Elysium. You’re either committed to making the most of life in Elysium or have no way to leave. To stay, you need to find your place, prove your worth, or offer something valuable.
Experience: Everyday life and work and strife. Looking over your shoulder, make the outpost come alive, create events and happenings. Cooperation and camaraderie, empathy and solidarity. Conflict and uncertainty. Hope and determination.
VISITOR
Character suggestions: A seasonal visitor, new guest to the outpost, travelling merchant, raider in disguise (remember, no airsoft), fugitive, bounty hunter, travelling entertainment troupe and so on.
If you are bringing a character or group that originally comes from another larp series, make sure the character fits Outpost Elysium:
- There is no airsoft. A raider style group concept will have a hard time fitting in. Or maybe you can tweak your concept or playstyle to fit this larp?
- There is little room for constant violence. If you really NEED this for your character or group concept to work, then this is not the larp for you.
- The atmosphere is not a good fit for slapstick based characters.
MUTANT
Mutants feel believable in a post-apocalyptic setting if their changes or abilities come across as a biological consequence rather than superpowers. We ask our players to consider abilities tied to narrative and social consequences only. Think less X-Men.
Examples of things that fit the tone: Enhanced senses, including empaths, physical endurance or pain tolerance, visual body changes, like skin changes, mutated body parts etc.
Examples of things that break the tone, don’t work in practice or give an unusual advantage: Telekinesis, healing hands, mind reading, combat advantages like instant healing or impervious to injuries, anything that looks like you took fantasy magic and slapped a mutation label on it
Cost and stigma
We encourage that mutations come with a social or physical cost, because it creates drama and play.
Approval process
If you’re playing a mutant, you must explain the character’s physical mutations, or their mutant ability at signup, so the organisers can approve it. If we feel it is too heavy handed for this larp, we will ask you to change it.
CYBERNETICS
We encourage cybernetics in Outpost Elysium, but a rule of thumb is; if it can’t be seen, it doesn’t exist. Cybernetics without a physical representation, whether it’s a prosthetic, a visible implant or something else tangible is not allowed.
This pushes players to invest in their costume and helps maintain the tone and aesthetic we want for the larp.
We would like to see industrial, punk-style mechanical, imperfect prosthetics rather than high-tech sci-fi electronics, emphasizing survival over enhancement. More like Mad Max and less like some of the stuff you see in Black Mirror.
Examples of cybernetics that work: an arm replaced by a mechanical, imperfect prosthetic, an eye with limited technical function, implants that come at a price, such as dependency, maintenance needs, social stigma.
What doesn’t work: cybernetics that provide mechanical advantages in conflict (no bazooka arms, thank you very much), high-tech implants that look like they belong in a shiny sci-fi universe, “I have a computer in my head” with no visible costume piece and no consequences to your character.
