Principles

Those are meta-game requirements to the player as a participant in a LARP game.

They are not related to the rules of the game itself; but without them playing the game becomes impossible.

That's why all players must know and follow them.

Important!Please read and follow
all of these rules

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Safety

LARP is just a game.

Winning it is not worth seriously injuring you or any other player. Be careful and do not forget that behind the mask of the villain whom your character wants to defeat, there is a human just like you. Off-game they are (or will become) your friend.

Do not hurt the other players.

In combat, don't hit too hard and avoid all the sensitive parts of others' bodies.

All hits and shots to the head are forbidden.
Hits on the throat are forbidden, too. However, carefully performing "throat slicing" with an appropriately padded weapon is okay.
Do not hit males in the groin.
Try not to hit females in the chest (breasts area).
Be careful with players shorter and/or lighter than you and with those who are known to have injuries.
Do not use martial arts techniques like grappling, throws, kicks, brute force. Practicing those is permitted only between two players who have an explicit arrangement for that, ii they know what they are doing, and only between the two of them.
Do not throw blind hits - if you do not see the target, do not hit or shoot them!

During a roleplay interaction treat the other players with care and follow good manners.

In case of a serious problem, stop the game.

If somebody is in danger or injured, shout, "STOP! STOP THE GAME!", to attract the other players' attention. After the problem has been solved, discuss how can you continue the game approximately where you stopped.

Do not misuse this opportunity - it is reserved for emergencies only!

Roleplay

Do your best to make the experience of the game better for the others.

In a LARP game the players act as certain characters. They react to other players' actions like their character would. In this way, the player enhances the experience of the other players whose characters interacted with theirs.

Act as if you are a part of the game world.

The point of LARP games is the shared immersion in a certain game world or setting. When this is lacking, the whole play becomes just another contest. Roleplay and reacting appropriately to the actions of others are more important than winning. More often than not loosing and making the game interesting is more satisfying than winning but in a lame way.

Look beyond the literal meaning of the rules.

Rules are there to boost the roleplay interactions and to provide balance in order to make the game more interesting. However, you need not follow them strictly and to the letter.
For example: Let's say according to the rules healing a wounded character takes 2 minutes. That doesn't mean that you should stay doing nothing staring at a timer and tell them "you're healed, go". If you have this skill, prepare equipment beforehand. Be creative! Role play examination, disinfection, stitch the wound, bandage it - make the simple act of healing an experience for your patient. The important thing is that it looks convincing, not if it takes a minute more or less.

Realism

Prepare suitable attire in accordance with the setting and the character that you are role playing.

This doesn't mean that you need a full set of armor and all the accessories. Often a simple tunic is enough for a game with a fantasy or a pseudohistorical setting. A plain pair of pants or a dress, simple shoes or boots, a belt or a waist band, and you're ready to role play a Human character.
Consider adding accessories for comfort. Where are you going to keep your money, keys, phone? Find an appropriate bag or pouch which fits the setting, and keep your valuables there. Prepare another one for in-game objects and money.
If you choose to play a fantasy creature, you need to look appropriately. For example, you don't need to be an 120-kg block with skin of stone and a square jaw - but your attire and makeup should make you look like one.

Be careful to avoid anachronisms and inappropriate looking stuff.

This applies not only for things like a wrist watch, but also to modern clothes like jeans, t-shirts with prints, sneakers etc.

If you wish your character to participate in battles, you would probably need some kind of weapons and armor. Note that certain metagame features and safety standards are set in the rules. Take a look at the Equipment section in the General rules.

Fair Play

You may follow the rules.
You may break the rules at your disadvantage if that would make the roleplay more interesting.
You must not break the rules in your favor.

Any LARP game is playable only if the participants put the rules into practice in good faith and according to the purpose of said rules. Cheating and looking for exploits spoils the fun for everyone else and renders the game meaningless.

However, breaking the rules is justified if it's done in the name of safety.
Breaking the rules is acceptable for the purpose of achieving better roleplay, if it doesn't result in gaining any advantage in the game.

Do not count the Health points of your opponents. If you hit somebody multiple times and they still don't fall down, there may be a rule allowing them to do that, and you may not know about it.

If you think somebody is breaking the rules, do not get upset and never stop the game. Role play the situation as best as you can, and afterwards discretely refer the case to an arbiter or an organizer of the game. Respect their decision, even if it seems unfair at first. Somebody else's mistake is not worth ruining your experience!

In-game and Off-game

Anybody dressed as a character in the game's setting and in the confines of the game area is considered an in-game player and must make efforts to behave like their character.

- By default the inside of a personal tent, pavilion or a room in a hut is not considered as part of the in-game terrain.

If you need to go off-game or your character is dead, you must indicate being off-game with a hand in a fist on your forehead. Any other character must ignore the off-game player as if they are invisible.
You must not make use of this limited opportunity for any in-game reasons.

- This is an off-game sign. There is no rule or in-game action that requires or suggests the use of this sign by an in-game character.

In case somebody consciously breaks the rules and/or repeatedly abuses them, the organizer or the arbiters chosen by them can request from the player to leave the game, and ask all other players to ignore their character.

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