High-Altitude LARP Escape 2023

October 27-29th, 2023

Your last Halloween... well, wasn't actually when HALE 2022 was, but we hope you enjoyed it! This year we're back around Halloween to bring you another weekend of games! Join us at a beautiful camp in the Sierras for a weekend of compelling LARPs, gorgeous scenery, and relaxation with your friends!High-Altitude LARP Escape includes immersive LARPs run by experienced GMs from the East and West Coasts – some of these games have never been run in California before! There will also be indoor and outdoor non-game hangout space, a designated freeform LARP area to roleplay any character you’d like (such as the ones from our beloved campaign LARPs currently on hiatus) with others who are doing the same. In between games, hike out to scenic vistas, relax down by the creek, or just take a nap in your cabin if that’s what calls to you.This is an invite-only event with limited tickets – don’t miss out! Sign up and complete your casting surveys by August 16th if you want to be guaranteed a spot in a LARP! Anyone who buys a ticket after that date is welcome to come hang out and may be placed on waitlists but is not guaranteed any LARPing.Please note that this event can only run with enough player interest! If we do not have at least 25 signups by August 16th, we will alert everyone and provide full refunds (minus transaction fees) by August 23rd.

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Contact Us: [email protected]

Games

Games and schedule are subject to change depending on player interest.

Schedule

Friday
9:00 PM - 10:30 PM
Sanguine
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Cuckoo
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
NettlesilkSaturday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Game of Scones10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The Final Quest2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Stars of Al-Ashtara2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Ghosts8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
DOOM SWORD8:00 PM - 1:00 AM
The Dance & the Dawn IV: Other PeopleSunday
11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Long Live the Revolution11:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Weaponfall12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
By the Banks of the River LetheFor more information about the signup and casting process, check our Logistics page.For more information about the specific sites where games will be run, check out the Camp page.

The Cuckoo

By Hannah Lipsky; GMed by Hannah Lipsky

PCs: 9 (4 male, 4 female, 1 flexible); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 2 hours.

Your boss at PixID Media volunteered you to compete on a reality show about eight sexy singles who are each torn between two loves. The contract isn't the worst you've signed and who knows, maybe you'll even find a partner. Everything was going as expected until your ship, the Cuckoo, crashed just after picking all of you up from the paradise planet where you'd been filming. You were supposed to rejoin the mothership to film the finale where each of you would get married to (or rejected by) the partner of your choice.The good news is that all nine of you on board survived the crash. The bad news is, your contract doesn't make allowances for things like crashed spaceships, injuries, or being stranded in a forest. You must select your desired partner on camera between 70 and 80 minutes from now. Equally important, you must rig together a makeshift long-range communicator to broadcast the finale in order to avoid being in violation of your contract. With a working long-range communicator, a PixID ship will be able to locate you and rescue you. But if you don't all finish the show as promised, being stranded on this planet will be the least of your worries.--The Cuckoo is a 1.5 hour game for 9 players (four male contestants, four female contestants, and a camera operator/interviewer) set in a dystopian sci-fi universe. You do not need to have played any other Dove Universe games to play the Cuckoo, though as always, it will be funnier if you have.This game is intended to emulate all the worst reality shows. If you are not just prepared for, but actively excited about, interpersonal drama, sexual innuendos and tension, real or fake heterosexuality, screaming matches whose loudness is rivaled only by their pettiness, mild physical violence in the form of ineffectual slap-fights and light shoving, cheating, emotional manipulation, backstabbing, showboating, and manufactured life-or-death drama in the shadow of actual life-or-death drama, this is the game for you. If any one of those things doesn't sound appealing, you'll be happier skipping this one.There are no predefined correct pairings in this game. There are also no mechanics for anything.Note: real video footage will be recorded during this game! It won't be shared outside the game without permission, but if you are not okay with video of you being taken for any reason, do not play this game.

Location: Cat's Eye Clearing
Expected physical contact: Moderate, like hugging or dancing
Expected physical activity: Moderate; players can expect to be on their feet most of the LARP with occasional higher amounts of exertion
Pregame materials: 5-8 pages of reading
Content warnings: Representations of sex, extreme heterosexuality, screaming matches, mild physical violence in the form of ineffectual slap-fights and light shoving, wandering in the very real woods in the very real dark

Sanguine

By Alison Joy Schafer; GMed by Alison Joy Schafer

PCs: 4 (2 male, 4 female); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 1.5 hours.

A ship readies in secret in the Port of London, just before dawn. Her name is Sanguine, apparently named for her deep red trim; however, she is perhaps named for a different reason altogether, as Sanguine represents a hopefulness in a dark situation. The year is 1840, and six potential passengers are out much too late on a dark and dreary night.Further down the River Thames, reconstruction of the Palace of Westminster has begun, the gentry prepare to levy their influence in Parliament, curfews are in effect, and Irish Nationalism is on the rise as the island plummets into poverty.It is late into the night; past the point of midnight oil, past the point of the last guests departing a party. All that remains on the streets of London are the sounds of rain, of sorrow, and of crime. Six potential passengers have dragged themselves through the night to the port where the ship - and the crossroads of their future - stand before them. Two of them, the Captain of the Sanguine and the First Mate, wear faces of uncertainty. A third is dressed in ideals and urgency. Another is a lady clad in sorrow and terror. The last two are dressed for a party, brothers in blood and fashion both. Who will board the ship to disappear, and who will stay and endure?Sanguine is a 60-90 minute larp. Players will reconnect with each other and make the choice of who will board the ship to forever depart, and who will remain in London. Content Warnings include starvation, murder, suicide. Please expect to spend the time talking about impossible situations and being separated from those you love. Alison Joy would not play this game.

Location: Dining Hall
Expected physical contact: Light/casual, like a hand on the forearm or shoulder
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and occasionally sitting
Pregame materials: 5-8 pages of reading
Content warnings: The impossibility of same-sex romance in this time period, unrequited feelings, social class discrepancy, poverty, starvation, and suicide

Nettlesilk

By Kristen Hendricks; GMed by Kristen Hendricks

PCs: 2 (1 male, 1 female); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 1.5 hours.

She looked at the countless pebbles on the beach, and saw how round the water had worn them. Glass, iron ore, stones, all that had been washed up, had been shaped by the water that was so much softer than even her tender hand.
"It rolls on tirelessly, and that is the way it makes such hard things smooth," she said. "I shall be just as untiring."--Hans Christian Andersen, The Wild Swans*****Once, far far away where the swallows fly when we have winter, there lived a beautiful princess who loved her brothers very much.These were harsh days, here and there and far away, and you must not let it surprise you when I say that her brothers, all five of them, were fortunate in their youth and strength, and in their younger sister's love, but in little else. For their father's second queen hated them, and embittered their father against them, and in time drove them from the castle and transformed them all to wild white swans, unsuited for the lands of men.Such things are not uncommon, even in these days, and in the ordinary way of things such tales end with the victory of the wicked, and the exile of the innocent. But on this occasion the princess was brave and good, and loved her brothers, and a good fairy took pity on her and told her how she might restore them.*****"Your brothers can be set free," she said, "but have you the courage and tenacity to do it? The sea water that changes the shape of rough stones is indeed softer than your delicate hands, but it cannot feel the pain that your fingers will feel. It has no heart, so it cannot suffer the anguish and heartache that you will have to endure. Do you see this stinging nettle in my hand? Many such nettles grow around the cave where you will sleep. Only those and the ones that grow upon graves in the churchyards may be used - remember that! Those you must gather, although they will burn your hands to blisters. Crush the nettles with your feet and you will have flax, which you must spin and weave into five shirts with long sleeves. Once you throw these over the wild swans, the spell over them is broken. But keep this well in mind! From the moment you undertake this task until it is done, even though it lasts for years, you must not speak. The first word you say will strike your brothers' hearts like a deadly knife. Their lives are at the mercy of your tongue."--Hans Christian Andersen, The Wild Swans*****And so Princess Elisa -- for that was her name -- closed her lips, and set to work. At first she labored alone, in her cave in the deep forest, clumsy from inexperience and hunger and the pain in her hands, but growing steadily more swift and skilled, and thus she completed one of her five garments.But one day a great king came riding with his retinue through the forest, and found her there. And seeing her lovely and alone in the deep-dark wood, and finding that he could elicit from her not a single word, he determined that he would carry her safely to the walls of his own kingdom, and make her his queen. At first she despaired, but when he brought her to his castle he showed her a room he had prepared much like the cave in which she had dwelt, in which her weaving and her weeds had been left for her to do as she would with, and then it is said that she wedded him willingly, and for a time he rejoiced in her.Diligently did the quiet princess work, and quickly was her work completed. But in that time the court had become suspicious of her strange silent sorcery; and when she went to gather more nettles from the churchyard, the archbishop persuaded the king to follow her, and convinced him that she must be doing some evil there among the graves, until the king's heart broke. He gave her to the people to judge, and they convicted her of witchcraft, and sentenced her to die by fire.Such things are not uncommon, even in these days, and most such stories end there, in flame and sorrow. But Elisa's fingers had grown strong and swift, and she had nearly finished her work; and as they drew her out to the stake that cold gray morning her brother came swirling round, swirling round, until they were close enough for her to cast the nettle-coats over them. And at once they transformed back into men, and Elisa at last cried her innocence, and the wood of the stake grew with roses, and all who watched knew that they had done wrong, and condemned their queen falsely.*****All the church bells began to ring of their own accord, and the air was filled with birds. Back to the palace went a bridal procession such as no king had ever enjoyed before.--Hans Christian Andersen, The Wild Swans*****And the hour came when the king and queen were alone, and free to speak.******Nettlesilk is a two-player one-hour larp. It follows directly after the events of (an only slightly modified version of) the fairytale The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen. Gameplay consists solely of conversation between the two PCs.

Location: Various groves near the dining hall
Expected physical contact: Moderate, like hugging or dancing
Expected physical activity: Minimal; the LARP is mostly played while sitting
Pregame materials: 13-20 pages of reading
Content warnings: This game consists of a conversation between two people who married under fairytale-style complicatedly consensual circumstances, one of whom has recently grievously wronged the other. Game backstory further contains violence, persecution for witchcraft, concern over childbearing and inheritance, and the emotional effects of fairytale-style mistreatment of children. Both characters belong to, and take seriously the tenets of, a close analog of the early Lutheran church as established in Scandinavia.

A Game of Scones

By Brittany Viens & Alison Joy Schafer; GMed by Lauren Skinner

PCs: 10 (flexible genders); NPCs: 0-1. Estimated runtime: 3 hours.

All Men Must Dine!Chaos reigns throughout the Seven Kingdoms. But first, everyone is hungry! The Small Council assembles over breakfast to discuss their personal (and often outlandish) agendas, voice their petty complaints, and finalize the seating arrangements for the upcoming banquet - a puzzle that could shape or shake the very future or foundation of the Realm. Beneath the smell of baked breads and lemon cakes, the atmosphere is poisonous. The meeting itself, a battleground. Propose laws, argue points, and use seating placements to stir up old feuds or forge powerful new alliances that will benefit your aims and weaken those of your rivals and enemies, and outwit them all! Appetites are rising as the Small Council battles it out while they play the Game of Scones. Breakfast is coming! Pay the iron price for it!----A light breakfast is included and optional.Players can expect to play a short but fully-plotted secrets and powers game for ten characters while they eat.Everyone will have precast short character sheets with goals, petty grievances, and connections. Sheets will be 2-4 pages long with another 1-2 pages of bluesheet.There is no character death until after breakfast.There will not be any sexual violence, torture, or mutilation prevalent, unlike in Game of Thrones.

Location: Dining Hall
Expected physical contact: Light/casual, like a hand on the forearm or shoulder
Expected physical activity: Minimal; the LARP is mostly played while sitting
Pregame materials: 5-8 pages of reading
Content warnings: Sexual humor, potential for romance for many characters?, character death (but not until after breakfast).

The Final Quest

By Kristen Hendricks and Warren Tusk; GMed by Kristen Hendricks

PCs: 6 (3 female, 3 male); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 2.5 hours.

Once, long ago, seven children found a gate within a hillside, and stepped through it into another world.Meridel was a fantasy realm, a magical place filled with grace and enchantment. Meridel was a land peopled by a menagerie of strange races, where the natives recognized you as destined heroes simply by dint of your humanity.Meridel was a land in peril.A shadow lay upon this magic place, and all Meridel was caught up in the war against that shadow, and the seven of you had hardly arrived before you were recruited into the struggle. For the dark lord Aelzor, who once had been fair, grew in power and strength; and all trembled before him, fearing the desolation that lay beneath his outstretched hand. The Great Grey Griffon, Meridel’s ancient godlike guardian, charged you all with a quest. You were to recover the scattered regalia of the Hallow King, so that one of you, having proven himself pure and good, might don that mighty panoply and defeat Aelzor.You embarked on an arduous journey. You faced perils beyond imagining. You fought monsters, and evaded armies, and learned the wondrous secrets of the realm. And you were tested in soul and spirit, one and all, by Meridel’s exacting standards of worthiness, and met with such trials of character as taught you the shape of your own secret hearts. Six of you failed those tests.But in the end, all your efforts were rewarded. At the close of the quest, the dread armies of Aelzor lay defeated by the forces that you had mustered. Aelzor himself lay slain at the hand of the youngest of you, who had proven himself pure and good, and Meridel was green and free once more.Six of you had failed. Six of you came home.*****And then you grew up.Readjusting to the mundane world, after a year of wonder and terror, went as poorly as anyone would have expected. You were confused and lost and scared. You had seen something of your own frailties, which you could never again cease to see. Two of you were missing a brother, and all of you were missing a friend.But that was sixteen years ago now. You have found your places in the world. It may be that you will never forget the marvelous things that happened to you when you were a teenager...but, well, perhaps that makes you no different from anyone else.And now, only now, the horns come sounding, and the cry of the Griffon echoes in your ears --And the wind tells you that in far sweet Meridel, where centuries have passed, the final war for the soul of the realm is joined --And the lights beyond the hillside call you back to take your place on the battlefield, and to fight for the land that you once loved --And are you going to go?*****The Final Quest is a two-hour game for six players, by Warren Tusk and Kristen Hendricks. Gameplay consists of conversation and a decision made by each character at end of game. The Final Quest centers on themes of memory, adaptation, moral standards, moral failure, grief, and choice. Potential players should be advised that this is a serious, emotional, and fairly dark game; if you do not enjoy living with the weight of failure and struggling with judgment and blame from other PCs, this might not be the right game for you.

Location: Various groves near the dining hall
Expected physical contact: Light/casual, like a hand on the forearm or shoulder
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and occasionally sitting
Pregame materials: About 30 pages of pregame reading.
Content warnings: All characters in this game have violent events in their history; these have affected some of them more deeply than others. All characters in this game lost either a family member or a friend as teenagers; this has affected some of them more deeply than others. Many characters in this game are dealing with issues common to people in their thirties, including family, children, and pregnancy. Two characters present are married to each other and two other characters present have a past romantic relationship; various characters' histories also feature past or current relationships with NPCs.

Stars of Al-Ashtara

By Alison Joy Schafer and Brian Richburg; GMed by Alison Joy Schafer

PCs: 25 (10 female, 15 male); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 4 hours.

Just beyond the next dune on the Eastern horizon rises the gleaming city of Al-Ashtara, renowned for its exotic wares and exquisite tastes. There are whispers; however, that the Caliphate might be starting to unravel - a fact which has not escaped the notice of those who wish to take advantage of the weakening rule. Friend and foe alike cast their eyes towards the night skies, looking to read their destinies in the stars…and perhaps find the means to change their own fate.Enter a world where allegiances shift like the desert sands; where the schemes are as intricate as the silks; and in the bustling marketplace, the only thing more elusive than the sweet smell of incense on the desert breeze is the band of thieves slipping between the merchants’ stalls. The Stars of Al-Ashtara illuminate the enchantment, mystery, and danger that await you in an Arabian bazaar-where everyone has a secret.Stars of Al-Ashtara is a traditional theater-styled larp of dark intrigue, high adventure, politics, romance, secrets, wonder, danger, and more that brings together larger-than-life characters of all walks of life. This larp is inspired by both the historical time period and as many of the plots from the 1001 Nights stories.Notes:The legends that form the basis for this LARP are often steeped in romance. Most characters will have one or more romantic connections, but non romantic and optionally romantic characters do exist.The game will feature a mix of interpersonal roleplay, adventures, mysteries, and political intrigue.This game will contain some magic, mystery, academic research, and enchantments. These will generally take the form of clockwork devices, alchemy, astronomical prophecies, and perhaps a cave of wonder.If the stars align unfavorably (and they definitely will), there may be character death. Should this happen, it will not occur until the very end.All characters are gendered in this society, but players are encouraged to sign up for the gender character they wish to experience.Religion will not be addressed in this LARP.

Location: Dining Hall
Expected physical contact: None
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and occasionally sitting
Pregame materials: 8-12 pages of reading
Content warnings: 1001 Nights stories which includes sex, sacrifices, dark rituals, slavery, females locked out of academic positions, etc.

Ghosts

By Adam Kenney and Suko Toyofuku; GMed by Adam Kenney

PCs: 4 or 6 (flexible genders); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 4 hours.

“Tonight the dead may seek to live again. But the night is short and the path back will not be easy. May I guide them skillfully as the Eagle, Crow, and Owl watch over them. Welcome to my campfire, Ghosts who seek life!”You are a ghost wandering in limbo with little memory of your life. You’ve been drawn to a mysterious campfire because you’re unhappy with the course that your life took. In order to reinvent yourself and return to life, you must first recall the life you lived and your past misfortune. With the help of the Guide and the other ghosts, you’ll forge relationships, make choices, and commit to a great sacrifice in order to create a better life before the third Watch ends.Ghosts is a live-action roleplaying game written by Adam Kenney and Suko Toyofuku. It’s rules- light, atmospheric, and very introspective, with no pre-generated characters. You’ll co-create your character and develop the setting through in-game conversations and ritual prompts.

Location: Other campsites
Expected physical contact: None
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and occasionally sitting
Pregame materials: No reading; characters will be made at a workshop on site
Content warnings: Death and dying, ritual magic, personal history of violence / poverty / emotional trauma

The Dance and the Dawn IV: Other People

By Warren Tusk; GMed by S. Kaiya J. and Stephen Kohler

PCs: 13 (7 male, 6 female); NPCs: 2. Estimated runtime: 5 hours.

There is a legend told on the Isle of Ice. It goes like this:Once, this place was ruled by a great queen, who was cold and fair and wise and strong. She raised her son, the prince, to be the most excellent of men. Together, in their compassion and their generosity, they made their home a refuge for those noble lords who had been broken by life – if you suffered so badly that your heart froze over, and you had nowhere else to go, there would be a place waiting for you upon the Isle. There you would spend your days in feasting, and in dueling, and in the pursuit of the gentle arts. There you would be remade into a glorious warrior of Ice.And, eventually, there would be a midnight ball. The Queen would invite the master of Ash, that strange and sinister Duke, to be her guest; and with him would come his wards, the Ladies, as mysterious as they were beautiful; and the night would be filled with music and dancing; and at the end of it all each Lady would claim a Lord, to have and to hold and to love, for the rest of forever. In that sanctified union, destiny was given the chance to rework itself, and the wounds of the world were sometimes healed.It is an ancient story. If there ever truly was a Queen of Ice, her power was broken long ago. It is whispered by some that her beloved son abandoned her, running off with a Lady of Ash after one of the midnight balls, and that in despair she threw herself into the sea.The Lords of Ice dearly love that tale, however. It is a dream of glory, and they have only dreams to sustain them. They are wretched souls, damaged beyond repair, trapped within an enchanted prison of frost; they have made what society they can for themselves, but they have no leadership or guidance, and their frozen hearts make it impossible for them not to hurt one another.They cling hard to their dream. They cling so hard that, every so often, they climb into their white ships and sail off towards the forbidding Isle of Ash. It is their forlorn hope that, in this way, they might find the Ladies who are destined to heal their hearts and renew their souls. They never succeed; the ships are led astray by mischievous shadow creatures, or destroyed outright by the demons that patrol the black isle. The Lords know this. And yet they keep venturing forth. It is very difficult not to hope, even when hope is madness.So it was perhaps predictable that, when a ragged and half-starved castaway girl washed up on their shores, the Lords' reaction should have been so utterly mad. They dressed her in a white gown, and placed a silver crown on her head, and said to her: you are our Queen, command us, make us great again, help us find our destinies.Yet even in madness there may be insight, of a sort...The day after they conducted their “coronation ceremony,” crows descended from the sky and delivered vellum notes into their hands. Each note read: His Grace, the Duke of Ash, invites you to a midnight ball at his home. The Ladies of Ash will be awaiting you. If you come, they will choose you and claim you, as is their ancient prerogative.And to the poor “Queen,” a note that said only: You wear the crown, and so the first dance is yours by right. Please attend.This is not like the legends, not truly. But who could refuse such an invitation?---The Dance and the Dawn: Other People ("Dance 4") is a LARP written by Warren Tusk for 13 PCs and two NPCs. It tells the tale of seven noble Lords who came to the court of the Duke of Ash for a midnight ball, and there danced with six beautiful Ladies, all in pursuit of the True Love that could heal their hearts. The conclusion of that tale, of course, is up to you.---Important note: This game is a subversion of The Dance & the Dawn and The Dance & the Dawn 2: Dreams of Ice and Ash. Please do not sign up to play if you have not played one or both of these games, as they provide important context for this game.Dance 4 is, at its core, not a game about happily ever afters; it is a game about screwed-up people for whom the very idea of love carries difficulties and dangers. If you enjoyed Dance 1 and Dance 2, or if your goal is wholesome happiness, be prepared to leave Dance 4 confused and upset. If you came away from those games wanting to unravel the metaphysics of the Isles of Ash and Ice more deeply, you may or may not enjoy this game. Please review the content warnings for this game carefully.

Location: Dining Hall
Expected physical contact: High; the primary activity of the LARP is fighting, dancing, or something equally strenuous
Expected physical activity: Moderate, like hugging or dancing
Pregame materials: 13-20 pages
Content warnings: Demonic practices of various sorts, religious war, addiction and obsession, social isolation, borderline abusive themes, violence, trauma, self-loathing, suicidal tendencies, death of a spouse, lack of narrative and/or mechanical agency, and lots and lots of social dysfunction.

DOOM SWORD

By Hannah Lipsky; GMed by Adam Kenney

PCs: 2-20 (flexible genders); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 1.5 hours.

Long ago, the Doom was sealed away by a mighty hero wielding the legendary Doom Sword. The sealing of the Doom ushered in an era of peace and prosperity. Art, culture, and magic flourished throughout the land. All this time, the Doom Sword lay dormant, guarded by the Doom Ward.This time of peace may be about to come to an end. The diviners have spoken; they say the seal upon the Doom has weakened, and the Doom soon will be unleashed. Unless. Unless the seal can be strengthened by a willing sacrifice upon the blade of the Doom Sword.A random assortment of people have been chosen by lot to contemplate the Doom Sword. The hour draws nigh. At the end of this hour, one person must throw themself upon the Doom Sword, taking their place alongside the mighty hero of old and sacrificing their life to save us all. The rest will be left to mourn and contemplate what might have been.---DOOM SWORD is a semi-satirical LARP about arguing over which one of you gets to heroically sacrifice yourself to save the world. Characters will be created before game on the HALE Discord via a semi-random character generation method that prompts you to create a backstory and character ties based on a series of die rolls.

Location: Amphitheater
Expected physical contact: None
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and occasionally sitting
Pregame materials: 1-4 pages of reading
Content warnings: Self-sacrifice; all other potentially sensitive content will be player-generated.

Long Live the Revolution

By Stephen Kohler; GMed by S. Kaiya J. and Stephen Kohler

PCs: 10 (5 male, 5 female); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 5.5 hours.

In the small European kingdom of Fentoria, the people were oppressed for far too long. The government was corrupt and inept, the countryside was starving, the people demanded change. At first, it was whispers around the table at the local taverns. Then groups started to organize, brave women and men taking up arms and plotting the downfall of the ancient regime. Many were killed, hunted down by the King’s secret police, but more survived. When the right spark was finally struck, the city erupted in revolution most glorious, the heroic rebels rising up against the overwhelmingly powerful monarchists. With their superior tactics, with their more advanced weapons, with pure hearts and noble deeds, they seized the day, overthrew the evil king, and took control of their own destinies once and for all.That was last night.This morning, the successful rebels awake to a new world, an uncertain and unknown world. The King is dead, but the people still need leadership of some kind or another; who or what is going to rise up to provide it? What form will that new government take? What ideals will it uphold? What new liberties and freedoms will it enshrine? What will it prioritize, and what will it have to compromise in the name of necessity?The leaders of the ten major revolutionary groups will meet in the “People’s Palace” (formerly the city’s Opera House) to decide the fate of their country. Ten different groups, with ten different agendas; ten different representatives who all contributed in different ways to the revolution. What bargains will be struck and honored; what betrayals will occur? Winning the revolution, it turns out, was the easy part. Governing will be harder.---Long Live the Revolution is a 6-hour long LARP that will place ten players in the position of revolutionary leaders trying to determine the future of their (fictional) European country in the mid 1800's following a successful revolution. The game will focus on negotiation and deal-making, with characters having their own personal goals, broad projects, and the goals of their individual factions to weigh and consider. It is relatively mechanically dense, with characters written with enough depth to carry them through the game and give the players something to sink their teeth into. The tone of the game is moderately serious, with no supernatural elements.Inspirations include the larps Be Not Afraid and Torch of Freedom, the novel Night Watch by Terry Pratchett, and the musicals Les Miserables and Hamilton: An American Musical.

Location: Dining Hall
Expected physical contact: None
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and sitting
Pregame materials: Around 20 pages of character materials plus 20 pages of rules and world documents
Content warnings: Relatively realistic depictions of the sorts of violence and bloodshed that would be expected in a revolution in the mid-1800’s.Additionally, individual character backstories may include elements of emotional and mental trauma, realistic descriptions of factory work (and the injuries sustained therein), the depiction of violent deaths of loved ones, and drug running.

Weaponfall

By Albert Lin and Megan Coppock; GMed by Albert Lin

PCs: 9 (flexible genders); NPCs: 2-4. Estimated runtime: 5 hours.

Yulan Festival in Taipei, TaiwanThe weapons fell like rain. In less than a minute, 10,000 weapons fell from the sky. In awe, A class of exchange students attending the Yulan festival touched the weapons. Suddenly these “Wielders” could see the Divine Spirits bound to the Weapon- and the now-visible monsters that would later be called demons. Weapon Spirits and Wielders, bound in that moment, fought to survive.=======It has been two years since the Weaponfall. Taiwan’s parliament had sequestered the (in)famous Wielders and Weapons to the Rainbow Lotus Academy on Mount Yushan. You are the first graduating class of 33, but not all is well. Some of the original Wielders and Weapons relationships are broken. New pairings are needed. Spirits to fight the resurgence of demons at this year’s Yulan Festival and graduate into a new life together.Will you survive graduation? Will you reclaim your heart from your original bond? And will you find the right Weapon or Wielder for you?Weaponfall is an Ars Armandi Boffer LARP with the players being either mortal Wielder of weapons or the Weapon Spirits bound to said weapons. Weaponfall uses boffer combat for physical resolution of combat (a heavily-modified version of Accelerant) and Ars Armandi for weapon-wielder dating. Ars Amandi is a mechanic involving safe physical touch to simulate physical intimacy. There will be a 30 minute pre-game workshop to introduce the players to the Ars Armandi mechanic and a physical touch boundary workshop.The majority of game time will consist of structured one-on-one “dates” and dueling combat as the players try to find compatible weapon-wielder pairs to battle demons. The Weaponfall boffer combat is not a very skill-based but instead focuses on emotions, narrative, and anime-ness by you and the NPC OOG collaborating together. Think big poses, weapon physicality, heated duels, etc. We would consider this relatively friendly to new boffer LARPers.We strongly encourage anyone who wishes to play but has concerns about physical accommodations to contact us with questions. Most of the Weapon Spirits can be tailored for physical accessibility on an individual basis.All boffer-related material like weapons, spell packets, etc will be provided by us. There will be a one-hour briefing and workshopping period.For NPC sign-ups, familiarity with lightest-touch boffer combat systems is a plus and we are happy teaching folks. There will be a few RP-only NPC roles and NPC combat roles with strong emotive components. Please note that because of the game's speed dating structure, NPCing will have a significant amount of dead time.

Location: Cat's Eye Clearing
Expected physical contact: Moderate, like hugging or dancing
Expected physical activity: Moderate; players can expect to be on their feet most of the LARP with occasional higher amounts of exertion
Pregame materials: 20+ pages of reading
Content warnings: Weaponfall is a very anime LARP. We will be delving into Anime tropes and also into different cultures (with consultant reviews) as the Weapon Spirits were once wielded by mythological/divine figures.While the characters are in mortal danger, the game is really focused on relationships and the fallout of a breakup. Themes include a range of sexualities, estrangement from family/lovers, physical disability, violence, relationship neglect, substance abuse, depression, strong and vulgar language, situational intensity including shouting/yelling, and breakups. You may end the game not “paired” with another and we want to empower that as a real character option rather than being paired in a bad relationship.Touch of hands and arms is the minimum expected touch for the delivery of beneficial game abilities and for Ars Armandi. Physical touch boundary setting as part of the workshop may expand this to shoulders, heads, backs, and hugs on a person-by-person basis. This game is age restricted for 18 or over.

By the Banks of the River Lethe

By S. Kaiya J.; GMed by S. Kaiya J.

PCs: 5 (flexible genders); NPCs: 0. Estimated runtime: 1.5 hours.

You awaken on the banks of the River Lethe.You must have partaken of the waters. You remember nothing of your life. That is… you have no memories of your life. But some wounds, it seems, run deeper than memory. There are hurtful words, hateful words, etched upon your heart as deeply and clearly as letters wrought in marble, and contemplating them fills you with anguish and sorrow. But you do not remember why.You are not alone. There are others around you, blinking at you with the same uncomprehending suffering in their eyes. You know nothing of them.You know nothing of yourself.You came to the River Lethe for a reason. There must have been something, some knowledge that was too painful to live with. Now the pain still remains, without the knowledge.And the chill waters flow on, toward oblivion…---By the Banks of the River Lethe is a one-hour Nordic-style LARP for five players. Pregame reading, including rules, is approximately one page. Players should be prepared to spend much of the game collaboratively improvising matters of individual and/or collective headcanon.

Location: Amphitheater
Expected physical contact: None
Expected physical activity: Low; players will be walking around and occasionally sitting
Pregame materials: 1-4 pages of reading
Content warnings: Amnesia; all other potentially sensitive content will be player-generated.

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The Camp

Camp Hi-Sierra is a scout camp in the Sierra Nevada mountain range near Yosemite. The camp features miles of beautiful landscapes perfect for hosting immersive LARPs and comfortable modern buildings perfect for lounging.There are four options for lodging: camping at one of the many campsites in your own tent, staying in your own RV in the parking lot, sharing an 8-person cabin with others, or renting a private 4-person cabin. You can also stay offsite at a hotel or AirBnB.

These cabins are very swanky (and make Hannah, who grew up with a much less swanky summer camp, intensely jealous). Kids these days – and adults on LARPing vacations – get to enjoy insulated cabins with heat & AC, high-quality bunks, copious power outlets, and a stunning amount of floor space.

The 8-person cabins are located immediately adjacent to a large bathroom-and-shower building. The 4-person cabins are just down the hill, a short walk that still gives these cabins a bit of extra privacy.The dining hall is a massive, gorgeous building that’s excellent for playing board games with your friends or playing LARPs that take place in grand halls. Attached to the dining hall is a large industrial kitchen that we have promised to leave as clean as we found it and that will be available for usage to those with and without meal plans.

Location Descriptions

Dining Hall
Half of the dining hall will be walled off with tables to be used for LARPs. Active LARPs take priority over any other activity happening in the dining hall. The dining hall is a large building that is central to the cabins and easily located.

Various groves near the dining hall
There are many scenic groves with and without furniture both on the near side of the river and the far side. Plan for an approximately five minute walk from the dining hall on easy paths.

Cat's Eye Clearing
A beautiful forest clearing that is roughly eight minutes from the dining hall at a leisurely walking pace along mildly sloped trails through the forest. Transportation via cart is available for those with accessibility issues via prior arrangement with Brendan.

Amphitheater
The large amphitheater on the river is roughly a ten-minute walk from the dining hall along mostly flat gravel paths adjacent to the river.

Other campsites
The camp has many other campsites that are a 10+ minute walk from the dining hall, which feature privacy and fire pits that are useful for some LARPs. Do not sign up for a LARP at a campsite unless you are okay going on a bit of a hike there and back.

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Logistics

Sign-up Information

Event Policies

Site Information

What To Pack

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Volunteering

Starting this year, we are not required to stain cabins for the camp; however, we have a lot of duties, mostly related to the kitchen and cleanup, where volunteers are still required for smooth operation of the event. (And also so a majority of duties don't get dumped on one or two very nice people willing to take on too much responsibility!) So, everyone(*) is required to take two volunteer shifts!Why do we have to volunteer?Well, for the reasons above, really. So that no one person has to take on lots and lots of work.When do we sign up for volunteer shifts?Volunteer shift sign-ups will open after all LARP castings are announced on September 1st, so you can make sure to sign up for a shift that doesn't conflict with your games! Shift slots will be first-come, first-served. Anyone who doesn't sign up for shifts by October 1 will be assigned shifts.Can I pay more for my ticket to not have to volunteer?Yes! At least for now, we're allowing attendees to buy out their volunteer duties for an extra $50 a person!Is there anyone who doesn't have to volunteer?If you are GMing at least one game, on our meal planning team, or otherwise directly involved in working behind the scenes at HALE in some way, you don't have to work a volunteer shift on-site. (Technically this would include Staff, but they are already GMing games anyway!)Is there a convenient list of volunteer duties?

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Tickets

Registration for HALE 2023 is now closed! Thank you for your interest in HALE2023!

Day Pass

Access to HALE for one day and guaranteed casting in at least one (1) LARP.

$75

+$3.22 PayPal Fee

Weekend Pass

A bunk in an 8-person cabin for the weekend and guaranteed casting in at least two (2) LARPs, and a 2-hour volunteer commitment.

$125

+ $5.03 PayPal Fee

Luxury Package

A private 4-person cabin, guaranteed casting in at least two (2) LARPs, meal plan, and one volunteer exemption. (Anyone else you invite into your cabin should purchase a Weekend Pass.)

$375

+ $14.07 PayPal Fee

Off-Site Weekend Pass

For folks staying off-site or in RVs or tents, guaranteed casting in at least two (2) LARPs and a 2-hour volunteer commitment.

$100

+ $4.12 PayPal Fee

Meal Plan

An entry into the meal plan, which covers meals Friday night through Sunday morning. See Meal Plan page for more details.

$25

+ $1.41 PayPal Fee

Deluxe Soda Connoisseur

For those who plan to drink soda with every meal, add some more sodas of your choice to your meal plan!

$5

+ $0.69 PayPal Fee

Volunteer Exemption

Exempts you from the 2-hour volunteer commitment.

$50

+ $2.32 PayPal Fee

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Meal Plan

These are the expected meals for the meal plan. Each meal should have gluten-free, vegetarian, and common-allergen-friendly options. Small changes may be made before the event but no major changes are planned. If you have questions or concerns about the meal plan, please contact the organizers.Note that the meal plan is required for all the meals and the meal-plan snacks and drinks, but not for Sunday night dinner.Fridge space and kitchen appliances are available for those who aren't on the meal plan, but you will have to coordinate your use of the kitchen with the meal plan volunteers, whose use of the kitchen takes priority.

Friday Dinner (6:30PM - 7:30PM)
BBQ Pulled Pork (sauce on the side, sugar-free option)
Roasted Broccoli
Roasted Carrots
Mac and Cheese
Burger Buns
Keto Bread
Gluten Free Bread
Coleslaw (sugar-free option)Saturday Breakfast (9AM-10AM)
Eggs
Bacon
Muffins
ClementinesSaturday Lunch (12:30PM-1:30PM)
Buttermilk Bread
Keto Bread
Gluten Free Bread
Wheat Bread
Sliced Cheese
Pickles
Deli Meats
Mustard + Mayo
Honey
Peanut Butter
JamSaturday Dinner (6:30PM-7:30PM)
Green Salad (sugar-free dressing option)
Rotisserie Chicken
Vegetarian Lasagna
Roasted Gold Potatoes
Roasted Broccoli
Roasted CarrotsSunday Brunch (10AM-11AM)
Smoked Salmon
Cream Cheese
Bagels
Croissants
Keto Bread
Gluten Free Bread
Honey
Peanut Butter
JamSunday Dinner (5:30PM-6:30PM) Open to all
Leftovers + Potluck: No specific food is guaranteed, but if you'd like to hang out, unwind from the weekend, and help eat all the leftovers before getting on the road, please do!Snacks (always available)
Leftovers
Cup Noodles
Granola Bars
String Cheese
Jerky Sticks
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Fruits (bananas, strawberries, grapes)
Veggies and Dip (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers)Drinks (always available)
Ground Coffee
Tea Bags
Sweetener + Creamer
Lemonade (sugar free option)
Hot Chocolate
WaterSoda: 2 cans of your choice included in base meal plan. Purchase the Deluxe Soda Connoisseur Add-On for $5 and up to 8 extra cans of soda will be added to your plan!
Coke
Coke Zero
Dr Pepper
Ginger Ale
Zero Sugar Ginger Ale
More soda flavors TBD, depending on number of Add-On purchases

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Purchase Complete

Thank you for your purchase!Please remember that if you purchased a ticket to attend HALE, you must send us proof of vaccination if we do not have it on record from last year. (This includes proof of a booster shot).Please send all proofs to [email protected].

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