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What's been going on recently

Last update on this blog was three and a half months ago. Plenty of things happened in that time, which I didn't write about. Not because there was nothing to write about, but because what I could write about them wouldn't merit a full article. So let's do a quick summary.

Photo by ConQuest photo team
First of all - ConQuest 2017. World's largest larp. It was a great experience, but you probably know most about it if you read my previous ConQuest articles (I didn't get to Drachenfest this year either, but one of the main topic on ConQuest was about the ridiculous amount of rain and mud they had to deal with the week before on Drachenfest). To make it short - the story returned to Mythodea again, and we - as bad guys - had a really nice fortress which we manned and defended (and assaulted in the big final battle when it was taken from us). The camps were organized in a different manner - similar to how they used to be back in 2012 and 2013. There were a few times when I actually got temporary command of my unit, and getting some command experience was very cool. Our schedule, however, was very hectic - as NPCs were on defensive this time rather than the offensive. Far less marching than in previous year when we fought in a faraway part of the terrain, but a lot more waiting for stuff to happen. If you've never been on ConQuest, it's still an experience I recommend you do at least once.

Returning from ConQuest, I had a chance to stop at Hannover and visit some of the friends I met in Berlin, who were playing a Vampire larp which sprung as a sort-of unofficial sequel from the events which we played at Enlightenment in Blood. Good times were had, and I ran the chamber larp Izgon: The Experiment for them in the evening - modifying it a bit in the process to fit the situation, and these modifications made it in a new updated version I ran once again in Terrible Creations in Zagreb a month ago.

Izgon: Ascendancy preparations are underway, funding requirements are achieved, and character signups will start in a few days. While we're at it, I noticed there's been a marked change in how I approach larp recently. These days I'm less of a firebrand trying to change the entire community, compared to the person I was years ago. I've been burned out in that regard, and recently I've become more of a person who tries to give the best possible larp experience to a limited circle of friends. Izgon: Ascendancy is the only project in the last two years in which I'm really reaching out to a wider population. I'm confident about it, and I'm giving it more time and effort than in any larp so far. I'm anxious and curious at the same time to see how it will play out.

My VtM Sabbat larp - Noćne Kronike - is also progressing nicely. We got some newspaper coverage, and we're preparing our major event of the year - a Palla Grande - which will take place this Saturday. I wrote the new, short, simple ruleset - inspired by the Nordic rulesets used in Enlightenment in Blood and Convention of Thorns - which we'll use for visible, social parts of the larp, and the playtest will finish after Palla Grande (MET will continue to provide much of the behind-the-screen crunch and inspiration for us organizers).

Last but not the least, I spent the last weekend on TESC IV: Ebonheart larp. But this one merits an article of its own, which I'll do as soon as the photos become available.

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