Map of Steph's LARP.
Steph's LARP is a live action role-playing game organized by Steph Gingrich for Ethan Lambert in the weeks following Gabe Chen's untimely death. The LARP's ultimate goal is to cheer Ethan up and him him have fun again.
Background[]
On the night of April 28, 2019, Gabe is killed by falling rocks and boulders due to a mining explosion caused by Typhon Mining. Prior in the evening, local Haven Springs resident Ethan goes missing in the mountains, near the mines. With the impending mining detonation approaching, Gabe, Ryan Lucan and Alex Chen all go searching for Ethan. Despite Gabe having called Typhon to postpone the blast until they find him, it goes off at its scheduled time, resulting in his death.
Due to Gabe and others having been on the mountain searching for him, Ethan feels immense guilt for Gabe's death. As Steph has organized LARPs in the past, and Ethan enjoys them, she takes it upon herself to rally the entire town of Haven Springs to cheer Ethan up. Using MyBlock, she asks for volunteers, gaining numerous residents to role-play as characters.
Not long before the LARP is to begin on May 25, 2019, Steph is nervous that it's off because Ethan is still feeling the effects of Gabe's death, in addition to fearing that he'll disappoint so many people if he's not having fun. She asks for Alex's help, and with Alex's encouragement to Ethan, the LARP is back on.
Quest[]
- "Thaynor the Monster Slayer! Thanks to the gods and all the heavens you've come! I am in desperate need of a great hero -- could you be the one? Please, tell me of your exploits. [...] It sounds like you're exactly the heroes I need. My name is King Tabor. The Age of Monsters has come upon my kingdom. Horrible creatures stalk the streets. My people live in constant fear. But there's hope! An ancient prophecy describes three mysterious gems -- known as Soul Jewels -- that can save us all. I need you to go search the kingdom, survive whatever's out there, and bring me back those jewels. Do you understand?"
- — King Tabor, to Thaynor and Thaynor's bard.
The LARP begins with Thaynor the Monster Slayer and his bard sidekick meeting King Tabor, who informs them that his kingdom Stonebornn, the capital city of Kalns, is under attack by monsters and instructs them to find the three soul jewels to defeat them. Throughout the LARP, the heroes can find power-up scrolls and coins. They also have the option to help a blacksmith and answer a jester's riddles (who will give them something useful if they answer correctly). They eventually encounter the first boss: a werewolf, to which a battle will begin. During battles, health meters appear on the top right of the screen. Defeating monsters will reward them with helpful items. After the werewolf is beaten, they are given a small key. The first gem is in the tavern where they find blood and severed limbs. There is a gnome inside the tavern, who reveals that a monster killed all the staff and he had to serve himself. Finding a music box behind the counter, they use the small key to open it, revealing the jewel. The second jewel is in The Magpie Emporium. There, they meet a witch, who is the owner of the magic shop. They have the option of buying helpful items. To buy the gem, they will need to get a special type of scale from a river serpent. They must either put it to sleep (if they have a bell given to them by the gnome) or defeat it. The third soul jewel is possessed by a troll. To get it, they must either defeat the troll, bribe him with coins if they have enough, or ask him for it after using the troll dust (if they have acquired it before this). Once all gems are collected, they are greeted by Notheria the Forest Spirit, who congratulates them for finding all the jewels and provides them with a reward, the Skysword of Power, which is affixed in a tree stump. Once Thaynor removes it and attaches all three gems to the sword, they are then confronted by King Tabor who reveals himself as the final boss (either Stormwrither the Undead or Cravius, Lord of the Underworld depending on Alex's previous choices). He reveals that he had tricked them into find all the soul jewels so he can take them for himself. They take on the final boss. If they defeat him, he will be destroyed. If they lose, he will retreat.
Characters[]
- Ethan Lambert as Thaynor, the Monster Slayer
- Alex Chen as Thaynor's Bard The name of Thaynor's bard is determinant, but can be either Alexandra, Alto, or Alwynn.
- Jed Lucan as King Tabor and boss characters Stormwrither, the Undead or Cravius, Lord of the Underworld (Name is determinant)
- Ryan Lucan as Dire Wolf, River Serpent, and Troll
- Steph Gingrich as the proprietor of The Magpie Emporium
- Duckie as an Old Gnome
- Charlotte Harmon as Notheria the Forest Spirit
- Julia Crowe as Weeping Girl
- Josh Hopkins as Dead Guy
- Hector Gonzales as Blacksmith
- Jesse Whitaker as Jester
Locations[]
- Haven Springs as Stonebornn, the capital city of Kalns
- Rocky Mountain Record Traders as The Magpie Emporium
- Black Lantern as Gullweather's Tavern
Items[]
There are several useful items Alex and Ethan can find during the LARP, as well as several items which can be purchased by the party in the Magpie Emporium and one obtained from another character.
Scrolls[]
The party can find three types of magic scrolls which can be used in battles.
- A Scroll of Healing restores full health to all party members and removes any status which causes damage or prevents a party member from taking their turn.
- A Scroll of Nimbleness causes all targeted party members to dodge an enemy attack.
- A Scroll of Advantage allows the party to take an extra turn.
A total of 12 scrolls, four of each type, can be obtained by the party.
| Scroll Type | Locations |
|---|---|
| Scroll of Healing |
|
| Scroll of Nimbleness |
|
| Scroll of Advantage |
|
In addition to the locations listed above, a scroll of each type is available for purchase in the Magpie Emporium.
Coins[]
Gold coins are used to purchase items in the Magpie Emporium. A total of 6 coins can be found in the following locations:
- In the Inner Zone of the Park
- Loot dropped by the Dire Wolf
- On the floor of Gullweather's Tavern
- After attempting to answer the Jester's riddle
- Loot dropped by the River Serpent
- Under the covered sidewalk near Lethe Flowers.
Magpie Emporium[]
Of the items on display in the Magpie Emporium, these items are available for purchase:
| Item | Effect | Price (gold) |
|---|---|---|
| Scroll of Nimbleness | (See the Scrolls section above) | 1 |
| Scroll of Healing | ||
| Scroll of Advantage | ||
| Troll Dust | Dusted trolls become very friendly (One pinch per troll) | 3 |
| Soul Sapphire | One of the Soul Jewels required for the quest | 10,000 |
While the Soul Sapphire is on sale for 10,000 gold, the proprietor of the Magpie Emporium will give it to you for a Magic Fish Scale.
Other Items[]
Other useful items can be found during the LARP.
- The Ophidian Chime, a bell which puts snakes to sleep, can be received from the Old Gnome.
- A Magic Fish Scale can be obtained by either killing the River Serpent or putting it to sleep.
Movesets[]
Thaynor[]
| Type | Name | Effect | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Stab | 2 damage to enemies | Default move |
| Burning Blade | 1 damage to enemies + 1 fire damage for the next 2 turns | Default move | |
| Strike of Wrath | 3 damage to enemies (May be used once per battle) | Defeating the Troll, using Troll Dust on the Troll, or bribing the Troll with at least 4 gold; the last two methods also require asking the Troll for help. | |
| Magic | Shield of Courage | Thaynor is protected from an enemy attack | Default move |
| Fire Blast | 3 damage to enemies, 1 damage to allies (May be used once per battle) | Defeat the Dire Wolf |
Alex[]
| Type | Name | Effect | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Untuned Chord | 1 damage to enemies | Default move |
| Horrid Disharmony | 3 damage to enemies (May be used once per battle) | Defeating the River Serpent or putting it to sleep | |
| Magic | Stirring Hymn | Doubles Thaynor's next attack | Default move |
| Healing Serenade | 1 health point added to allies | Selected by Alex if she looks at Steph's comp book during Chapter 2: Lanterns, or selected by Steph if Alex doesn't look at Steph's comp book. | |
| Distortion Field | 1 sound damage to enemies for the next 2 turns | Selected by Alex if she looks at Steph's comp book during Chapter 2. | |
| Hypnotic Fugue | Transfix - Enemy cannot move for 1 turn (May be used once per battle) | Collect two pieces of sheet music: One in Gullweather's Tavern, the other in the alley after dealing with the River Serpent. |
Dire Wolf[]
The Dire Wolf has 5 health points.
| Name | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scratch | 2 damage to target | Default move |
River Serpent[]
The River Serpent has 15 health points.
| Name | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scratch | 2 damage to target | Default move |
| Spitting Venom | Poisons target | This move is used during the Serpent's second turn. Target will take 1 damage each turn until knocked out or a Scroll of Healing is used. |
Troll[]
The Troll has 15 health points. He also cycles through seven moves.
| Name | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Throwing Rock | 2 damage to target | Default move |
| Stunning Punch | Stuns target for 1 turn | This move is the third move of the Troll's seven-move cycle. It is replaced by Throwing Rock if one ally is knocked out. |
| Double Slam | 2 damage to all allies | This move is the fourth and seventh moves of the Troll's seven-move cycle. |
Boss Character[]
The Boss Character has 20 health points. He cycles through six moves. The effects of the moves are the same, but their names differ depending on the name of the boss.
| Name (Stormwrither) | Name (Cravius) | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning Ball | Fire Ball | 3 damage to target | Default move |
| Electric Cage | Ring of Fire | Stuns target for 1 turn | This move is the second move of the Boss Character's six-move cycle. It is replaced by the Default move if one ally is knocked out. |
| Unholy Lightning Storm | Fury of Hell | 2 damage to all allies | This move is the third and sixth moves of the Boss Character's six-move cycle. |
| Ravenous Flame | Volcanic Flame | Target set on fire | This move is the fifth move of the Boss Character's six-move cycle. |
Boss Battle Health Points[]
Because of the nova of joy experienced by Ethan upon obtaining the Skysword of Power, the boss battle takes place in a fantasy setting, similar to that of a role-playing video game. Because of this, the health points for Thaynor and his Bard are displayed out of 1000 instead of out of 10 like in the previous battles. However for health point levels 1 through 9, only two numbers are used to represent the corresponding health point level.
| Health Point Level | Displayed HP |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 86 or 97 |
| 2 | 164 or 175 |
| 3 | 259 or 264 |
| 4 | 362 or 371 |
| 5 | 479 or 482 |
| 6 | 586 or 592 |
| 7 | 708 or 716 |
| 8 | 811 or 820 |
| 9 | 908 or 923 |
| 10 | 1000 |
Trivia[]
- Enemy attacks will almost always target the ally with more health points. There are a couple of exceptions to this:
- If they have an equal number of health points, the attack will target Alex.
- If an ally's health is to the point where the enemy can knock them out in one move, the enemy will target that ally, prioritizing the ally with the fewest health points. For example, if Alex has 1 health point and Ethan has 2, and the enemy's next move deals 2 damage, the attack will target Alex.
- It is impossible to lose to the Dire Wolf they encounter at the beginning of the LARP. Alex can have up to two moves which don't do damage. One is Stirring Hymn, which doubles Thaynor's next attack. The other, dependent on player choice, is Healing Serenade, which adds 1 health point to allies. The only move Ethan can make which doesn't do damage is Shield of Courage, which protects him from enemy attacks. The Dire Wolf does not have any attacks which target both allies. Additionally, the game targets the ally with more health points, or Alex if they have an equal number of health points. In the unlikely event that Alex were to be knocked out in this battle, Ethan's next attack would likely be influenced by Stirring Hymn. Of Ethan's attacks, the one which does the least amount of damage is Burning Blade, which deals one damage and sets the enemy on fire for the next two turns. Stirring Hymn does not affect the status damage. Therefore the Dire Wolf receives 3 damage on the first turn (2 from the attack itself and one from the status), and 2 damage the second turn. Since the Dire Wolf's only move deals 2 damage, at least 5 turns would be needed to knock out Ethan. However, because the Dire Wolf has only 5 health points, he is knocked out before he can knock out Ethan.
- It is much easier for Alex and Ethan to complete the LARP without being knocked out than it is to be knocked out by any of the monsters they meet.
- If Alex and Ethan are both knocked out by one of Ryan's characters and they don't have a Scroll of Healing, they are approached by Notheria, who causes the enemy to perish. If this occurs, no skills will be learned.
Gallery[]
TBA