What is Vainovarjot?

The first Vaino-event, Vainovalkeat, was held in 2014 in Liesjärvi national park. It was followed by Vainoharhat, Vainovangit and finally Vainovirrat, after which no Vaino-events have been organized. Now, after a five-year hiatus, the Borderlands call once again adventurers to find Sampo!

In Vainovarjot, boffering weapons are used for combat. Boffering is Finnish padded weapon fighting that aims to enable fun, safe and technical fighting with weapons. Combat rules and links to weapon rules can be found in the Rules-page.

The game can be played in many ways and styles. Whether you want to have a weekend full of combat, immerse yourself into the world and the story, sneak around in the bushes or sit around a fire with friends, Vainovarjot makes it possible. Boffering opportunities have been tried to be increased compared to previous events, but the game offers quests and other activities also for those with a more pacifistic approach. It is largely up to oneself how to play the game.

Each player will start the game as a member of one of the six kins in the Borderlands. However, everyone will ultimately enter the game as an individual who can form their alliances and priorities as they want, also outside of their realm and kin.

The game is on from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, when the game ends at the latest at 15:00. Because the game is on around the clock, we hope players to stay in the game area for the duration of the game.

Players can pitch their tent or hammock almost anywhere in the game area. Additionally, there is a specific dead zone where it is possible to rest and sleep peacefully (entering dead zone will make you dead in-game, however, and you need to leave your Vaiva-items outside of the dead zone). There will be portable toilets and water canisters in a few places in the game area.

The primary objective of the game is to capture Sampo. Sampo is locked in a chest for which there exists four keys. To the captors of Sampo, that there can be maximum of five people, eternal glory and renown are assured. However, after the chest nesting Sampo has been opened it remains to be seen which party will gain control of Sampo and the Borderlands.

In this year's game, it is possible to focus on gathering strength and wealth for your kin and realm, in addition to capturing Sampo.

The main objectives during Friday and Saturday is the search for Sampo and its keys. During Sunday, the three Realms will fight for the Borderlands and the control of Sampo itself. Regardless of the nature of these two parts of the game, it is always possible to play the game in the way you want.

There are kin- and realm-based quests as well as open quests in the game. There are many different types of quests: fighting quests, scout quests, finding quests, diplomacy quests, riddles, long quests, short quests etc. Quests give rewards such as coins, weapons, souls, bandages, healing potions, information or unique game items. Doing quests is voluntary, and even if the rewards are often useful, victory can be pursued without doing quests.

The combat rules of Vainovarjot are based on Finnish boffering rules. The weapon rules follow largely weapon rules of Sotahuuto, apart from a few small differences announced later. More information about rules in the Rules-page.

Other combat rules in short:

You can be alive, defeated or dead. When defeated, you cannot fight or move and anyone can take your Vaiva-items and silence you. Defeated player can be healed back to the living state. If a defeated player decides to move, they will become dead.

Death in Vainovarjot is not the end of the game: players can go to special bonfires that make rebirth possible for everyone around them every hour.