Rising Of Chaos

Good Morning Campers,

I say good morning but after the excellent, excellent weekend we just had I am very sad not to be out and about in the woods and running around. I hope that this message finds you all in fine fetlock and fettle and that you all had a good weekend, we certainly had a blinder! Don't really know where to start with all the froth so I'll go with: Thanks to the refs and crew: Pete, Jon, Paul and Ed for Saturday - That was an excellent event (I'll come to that in a bit) and to Myself and Robin with Matt and the outstanding new RoCers Adam, Charley and Phil you fitted right in and we did a bang up job on a great event on Sunday. Equally to the players who did their job perfectly well, one hundred percent in character all the way through, total dedication to the game - brilliant, just brilliant. What a weekend!

So Saturday I didn't know what to expect from Pete as a ref and I was more than pleasantly surprised with what occurred. The day slipped away far too quickly, what looked like a simple recon of some magical goods for the University turned into a monster adventure with some of the more esoteric of events I have seen taking place. Semaphore/Interpretive Dance on an airship, unmasking the caretaker as a bad guy, saving Tess from the peril, the arrow throw, the Annihalart automaton and realising that none of us could play poker bar Tess were all outstanding moments. But alongside the great moments I will remember the crew were truly great, the reffing/story well thought out and controlled, we all had roles and plenty to get our teeth into. The players were a pleasure to be with, no-one broke character, everyone kept up the flow and made my day and hopefully each others; Saturday was properly Aces.

Sunday was a different perspective for me in that I was reffing but it was no less fun; Robin and I spent a lot of time on the event this week and for what I hoped would be one shot event in the woods a lot of effort went into it; it's going to end up being a two parter but there you go. Again it was a day without breaks in the RP and one that the players fully engaged with. Pouring over handouts and having a bit of a squee when they worked things out. Battling the dead, learning about curses and scratching the surface of a multilayered plot stretching from the battles of the Rhygahrean war to land control and Murder to Political Influence. I was really pleased with the way the players responded to what was happening around them it felt properly immersive and I definitely find that I don't have the message space or the words to really express how chuffed I am by yesterdays event, Saturday and just generally the start of the year.

Moving along we have the following events this weekend - Do get booking in -
https://www.facebook.com/events/1513695995569453/
The Empty box is my personal favourite for this month and should be well worth a punt
https://www.facebook.com/events/296828200516584/
Equally you have probably seen that we have the Fort Dates sorted out for this year as follows:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1704048699821570/

https://www.facebook.com/events/698436453608552/

https://www.facebook.com/events/859722074080377/

Last week I did all of your downtime returns - Please Remember that you need to get them back to me by Wednesday at the latest if you want them back this month AND that if anyone is assisting with your downtime return they have to provide a downtime too.

Today is a Shop Order Day

The word of the week is Tyromancy - Divination using cheese.

The thing that the system has learned this week is: Phil and Jon should not be allowed to sit next to each other. Ever.

As ever; the systems thoughts are with all of you who are having a hard time at the moment, the long term difficulties of Jon Caney for example and if you need us we continue to be here.

So that's me - Have a foxes and crow week people, I look forward to seeing another load of you at the weekend and bumping into more of you between now and then.

Take Care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning good folk,

I hope that you all had a good weekend whether you were with us as RoCers, larping elsewhere or doing that real life thing! The guys that came along to join me seemed to have a cracking good time and there were a good number of you that did. First off let me say thank you to the people that bought the weekend to life for the players that being: Dan and Helen Robinson for their excellent reffing on Sunday and to Simone Hibbert for hers on Saturday. They were supported by an excellent crew on both days so to the following goes eternal gratitude: Matt Hussey, Jon Wickenden, Mike Roberts, Paul Kiesling, Luna Winters, Tiff Williams and Dazz Jones. You all worked extremely hard to bring the game to life and there was some top notch roleplaying. I'd like to say that those of you that were brand new to the hobby just a few months ago have come on leaps and bounds under the tutelage of such excellent refs like those mentioned above. It has continued to be a great start to the new year and I look forward to seeing more of the same in the weeks to come.

So Highlights for the weekend and do feel free to add your own: Dazz's death scene and ultimately hammy performance as the Devourite on Sunday was excellent, also Saxon sending someone who was happy to make a cup of tea to their death. The Saturday event had to be remade on the fly due to some unavoidable real life issues and ran really well for an off the cuff that we only had 5 mins to prep for, delightful to hear how terrified players were of being left alone for any length of time! Most entertaining. Sunday was excellently flowing, smooth and contained all the elements of a good story that will lead the players in the direction of plot. Despite the bar scene being a headache, you know? Due to all of the murder that the players committed, it was still very entertaining. The surprise automatons made me chuckle as did Jon's portrayal of the man whore! And there you go - Good weekend

Next week we will be running these events:

Saturday - This looks like being a busy one - And a good one, as ever, so get yourself booked in!
https://www.facebook.com/events/391269154368292/

Sunday - Stick could do with some more support on both the playing and the crewing front
https://www.facebook.com/events/857435774286673/

Last week we had our first refs meeting of the year and we made a sequence of minor changes to the final manual - You'll see a small handful of flux rules and some bits and pieces for downtime trade and the like. We also have Dan looking through the final Apprentice Prestiges which are aimed at the end of the month for your excitement and pleasure. The refs are all set for the year with different folk assigned to the target story areas and we will be holding a secondary meeting in the next week to allocate rolls out to the other refs. We will also be holding auditions for new refs who want to join in, we'll certainly need them as the player base continues to increase.

Our thoughts are with all of those suffering right now.

Ok that's me.

Have a Foxes and Crows week people. I look forward to bumping into some of you next weekend.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Afternoon Folks

Pub first - If you are coming at the weekend can you make your mark on here and let us know so that we can book.

Events second: Saturday looks like this:
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=755&p=5181#p5181
Whereas Sunday looks like this:
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=756&p=5182#p5182

If you are coming can you please confirm by Thursday afternoon at the latest and don't forget about the pub as well. I'd like to be started by 9.30-10 on the Saturday as it is going to be a long day and for Sun if we can be out and about by 10-10.30 that would also be aces. Bring your boards and please can you follow protocol regarding your shop orders and DTP's. Cheers.

The Weather looks dry if chilly although warming up under the cloud cover of Sunday - Dress appropriately
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2637487

We are pretty much up on your shop orders and the downtimes are flowing back out, expect them to be in by the end of tomorrow at the latest.

These are the final dates for the Fort that I literally just go through - They have properly messed us about again, shockingly. Need to sort out the banquet hall now as they are playing the same game.

6th – 8th March
3rd – 5th July,
9th – 11th October

Cheers folks

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning Good Folk,

I hope that these words find you in fine fetlock and fettle and that you all enjoyed an outstanding weekend like wot we dun at RoC. The winds were chill but the weather was fair, the games were fraught with danger and choices were hard but people were bold and company was good and mirthful, all in all we had a brilliant time. You read me saying this stuff every week - It is all true, the truth being that I am ceaselessly surprised by the enduring family that RoC has clearly become over the last 18 years. Anyway. The weekend would not have been the weekend without the OUTSTANDING efforts of so many refs and crew and it is to them that the opening focus of our thanks should go so:

Myself and Stick for reffing over the two days with the outstanding support of the following hero's: Matt Warwick for two days of hardcore battling and, of course, welcome back Mister Warwick you have been much missed. Charley Isolde, Adam Kinash and Phil Casapieri for making the trip down from Bournemouth to crew about. Matt Husey for Saturdays second reffing duties and for guiding the remarkably enthusiastic Anthony Gunfield through another day of RoC fight learning. Sunday the second reffing duties fell to me (I was great) and I couldn't have done it without the more than able assistance of: The handsome and devilish Paul Kiesling and the bouncyily lovely Emily Lomax. Equally the players of the weekend were all outstanding, there were some of the best interactions with the story, each other and everything RoC and for that I am honestly grateful.

Some of my faves from the weekend were: Pointing out the chalice on Saturday (They were wearing tabards with chalices on them - slow gaze down to the chalice at the foot of the gravestone), the huge defence of the knackered fort at the edge of the Mordell waste and the debrief descriptions of the war that has started down South. The VGC being, well, the VGC, you gotta love the criminal elements of the game and how well portrayed power through wealth is. The Selsheen. Portraying a drunken Bethylakian so well that whilst pretending to support myself on Sebastian I face-planted when he unexpectedly walked off. Equally I could point to the murder mystery aspect of both days and the very well written backgrounds that let them play out so well. Good job all involved we were aces

So next weekend we will be doing the following, if you want to be around please
Sat
https://www.facebook.com/events/1598197680410261/
Sun
https://www.facebook.com/events/656788274430637/

Last week we did a whole bunch o'stuff and, long story short we are here - This week will be the Apprentice Prestige week - Loads of your downtimes are out and back and we will be dealing with Feb/Fort/Banquet bookings and post ups this week.

There's a lot going on, some people are having a rubbish time and could do with hugs or beer or whatever it is they need to get through it all. If you can make sure you can give them those things, if you need them make sure you let people know.

In the meantime: Have a Foxes and Crows week people, I look forward to seeing an awful; lot of you at the weekend and bumping into even more of you between now and then.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning Campers,

Welcome to February! I hope that this message finds you in fine fetlock and fettle and that you all enjoyed an outstanding weekend and indeed month. This weekend seemed to be full of the sick; the events ended up being up and down, especially on Sunday, due to the events lacking key personnel whom they were written around. So on that note, to begin, I hope that all of those that were too unwell to make it to the woods this weekend, player or crewman, are well on the way to recovery be it from injury or illness. More than that I would like to extend my thanks to all the players that turned up despite being properly done in and also the crew that were also ill, not even supposed to be attending but who arrived to fill in the gaps and crew regardless of unwellness. May this be "that" weekend of the year and there be no more of them. So that we are clear:

My thanks for those heroes of the weekend who fought through the plague to ref and crew for the masses: Matt Hussey and Robin Hyde for their reffing prowess and their A-Refs Holly Goodall and Dan Robinson. Along with them we have the outstanding Phil Caspieri, the battling Simone Hibbert and a brief cameo by the rambunctious Tom Bestow (Cheers for being such a good sport.) Again, despite the cold temperatures and the general illness of all involved, you did an outstanding job. There were some truly brilliant pieces of the weekends including the death scene of Eliahra Lunis who herself conducted an excellent ritual to save the day before her demise and the excellent follow up eulogy and wake in Eidelos.

Last two bits of business of course for the weekend we'd like to thank Having a LARP for turning up and selling many shiny new things to the players. Equally for giving some good advice to the folks who are new to LARPing. To those many new folk to the system: Welcome on board, we hope that you have had fun with us, will be back and playing soon. It was aces to meet you.

Following are the upcoming events for next week and the Fort dates for March - Illness aside they should be pretty cool!
This is Saturday
https://www.facebook.com/events/387903814716180/
This is Sunday
https://www.facebook.com/events/316401091902604/
This is the Fort
https://www.facebook.com/events/316401091902604/

Equally if you are thinking about starting new characters there is a two day epic running in the middle of the month.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1589351024631515/

Last Month we achieved a hell of a lot of stuff for the beginning of the new year the results of which will begin to be seen this month: Today I will be finishing the Apprentice Prestige and putting them up on the forums (he said optimistically (although I am one of those people that feels like a pile of arse so that may not be 100% accurate)). We also revamped Advanced Character Creation, produced some guild handouts, ran all of the events, did you downtimes and kept your packs updated and what-not. Not bad month all in all. We'll keep plugging away this month as we welcome more and more new folk to the game but it is a shorter month and I have a lot of LARPtronics work to get finished before the LARP Awareness party towards the end of the month. Fear not though there are plenty of people working in your corner.

So today is both downtime day and Shop Order day - There is a simple format for the downtimes on the Forums - Please PM both orders and downtimes to me there and I'll get the returns to you on Wednesday for the next stage of the process. If you have any queries please e-mail customer services and don't PM me on Facebook etc. Tonight I will be on for Skype Meeting, again for as long as I can (pile of arse); if the Prestige is out we'll be talking about that, if not we will be talking about peoples thoughts on the current guilds and manual states and answering any questions that we can regarding them - If you are new I will also be there to talk about character creation and the like - If you haven't done a Skype meeting - The refs and myself will be on hand on a Skype channel (every first Monday of the Month) to help out and get answer questions etc. There is also an IC channel that the players have set up to chat plot and what-not. If you want to be involved you can add me via the handle dukedazak and I will walk you through from there.

Word of the Week is - Venator: Huntsman or Hunter

To all those suffering at this time our thoughts are with you and if you need us you know where we are

Right; have a Foxes and Crows week people, I look forward to seeing some of you at the weekend and bumping into more of you between now and then.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning Campers,

I hope that this message finds you in fine fetlock and fettle and that you all had an excellent weekend. Despite the injury to Robins toe it was great to return to the woods and some good old fashioned and much needed heroics on Sunday. Much appreciation to the crew that had to work with my somewhat impromptu eventing: Dazz "23rd of March" Jones and James "Arrow Thief" Dixon did an outstanding job. Giant Kuldisar digging machines, saving a village full of people (and some miners (not kids Homes))), preventing the rise of a twisted corruption and escaping from the very CENTRE OF THE EARTH!!!! Well. At least a mile or so below the Low Kingdom all came into play for an excellent day with some unique Artefacts discovered. Great to see a while plethora of new characters out and about again as well as some a couple of established ones. Great game, great people, great weekend.

Next week we have a two day epic that is perfect for low end and starting characters - crew and new folk welcomed!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1589351024631515/

And let's not forget the forthcoming Fort!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1704048699821570/

Not much else to say this week - Looks like the plot is hotting up, shop orders today and support downtimes by Wednesday.

Word of the week - Whiffet - Paltry Person or little dog

Our thoughts to all who are suffering, you know where we are if you need us, especially Robins toe.

Have a foxes and crows week people, I look forward to seeing some of you at the weekend and bumping into more of you between now and then.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning Campers,

I hope that this message finds you in fine fetlock and fettle and that you all had an excellent weekend. Firstly let me start by welcoming the first time RoCers on board: It was great to meet you all and I was very buoyed up by your enthusiasm and very kind words! This weekend was outstanding, we promised you an epic and I think we certainly provided: From the refs involved in the writing throughout the week: Myself, Robin, Stick and Dazz (Ref in training) to the crew that were involved in running the event the roleplaying, direction of action and delivery of narrative and story was absolutely excellent. This diligence was met by brilliant interaction by the players, superb characterisation and roleplaying and some epic combatting! I am often very satisfied with the events that we run but I rarely, as we run so many, walk away feeling as pumped as I did yesterday; it was an absolute privilege to run Distant Fire with so many absolutely epic people around me so:

To my writers; Robin Hyde, Dazz Jones and Simone Hibbert; you were excellent, bouncing the story around with me, moving it forward and giving it the aspects of freedom that all RoC tales need to be the sandbox that the players need. To my refs: Well Robin and I and my A-Refs: Pete Walls and Simone Hibbert - Tale told well and the scenes supported excellently with dressing, site use and coaching of the crew through the story. Holly Goodall and Dazz Jones made up the best of us as excellent crew dilligently fullfilling their roles and keeping the story alive. To all on the crew my greatest thanks for your selfless efforts and most importantly your attention to narrative and outstanding roleplaying. This weekend will froth on for a while to come I think.

To finish (going on about the weekend) Some of my moments were: The whole twins story being told through the glamour was great; I especially enjoyed Pete's portrayal as the father during the scene of Tabatha's harming of her brother and their final moments were excellent. The Yarrianite camp was great, I loved the pursuit of the Fae and scene of the reading of the Oath and finally the questioning of the Daemon. Finally, as an aside, the debriefs were also excellent and again well done to all involved players and crew alike.

Next week on RoC - As most of you know Cam and I are taking LARPtronics to the LARP awards along with Dragon Armouries and won't be around for the Saturday. Pete has heroically agreed to ref on the Saturday and is looking for crew so let's show him some support folks and then on Sunday we will be, hopefully, frothing about all the things we did at the LARP awareness and showing off some new tech and of course, running an event:

Saturday - Players and crew for Pete please - His events are properly excellent
https://www.facebook.com/events/817599484980125/

Sunday is Stick and her tales of the Mordell Wastes
https://www.facebook.com/events/1543149242622330/

Book in

Also can you please book in and more importantly pay for the fort event please
https://www.facebook.com/events/1704048699821570/

Last week, as I said, I would be more involved with LARPtronics work and I was, the same for this week although I will get character updates done and your final downtimes out.

This week's word of the week is: Vacillate: Fluctuate in opinion or resolution

And that is more or less us: Our thoughts and hearts are with all those suffering at the moment, this week has been devastating for some folk and we are here if needed.

Have a foxes and crows week people, I look forward to seeing some of you next weekend and bumping into others between now and then.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning Campers,

I hope that this message finds you in fine fetlock and fettle and that you all had an outstanding weekend wherever you were and whatever you were doing. We had an amazing time at the LARP Awareness party, a really great time and a damp but entertaining Sunday when we got back to run the event, albeit late (and we're sorry about that ). So to the thanks for the weekend; We'd like to thank the ref for Sunday and her crew: Simone Hibbert, Jamie Shipston and my illustrious self of course and all the players that showed up to get very wet and explore the confines of the Temple to all Gods in Koren and the labyrinthe below. You were all excellent and despite the weather it was a pretty good day. I would also like to give a massive shout out of thanks to Ian @havingalarp for running an excellent LARP Awareness and awards - The general stress of sorting out a hundred odd larpers is difficult enough but hundreds? Well done Mister, thanks for everything.

Next weekend we will be running the following events so book into them please:
Saturday (Breaking the Ice)
https://www.facebook.com/events/877053992347178/
Sunday (GARY DAY! (Book in, you don't want to miss this))
https://www.facebook.com/events/719123381534209/

Also This and pay me please
https://www.facebook.com/events/1704048699821570/

So, short message this week as I have so much to do - We'll be fort prepping and working and, well, you know the routine, this week.

Shop orders today please

Word of the week: Yawl: s a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter but with an additional mizzenmast.

As ever our thoughts go out to all of the folk that are suffering at this time and we are always here if you need us.

Ok people have a Foxes and Crows week, I look forward to seeing a lot of you at the weekend and bumping into more of you between now and then.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Hello Folks
My usual Wednesday post: If you are along this weekend can you please book in before tomorrow afternoon and indicate what you intend to be doing cheers. There are some maybes for both playing and crewing both days , can we get those into yes or no's. Equally if you intend to be at the pub on either Saturday or Sunday evening can you post so asap so that we can make the bookings - Cheers.
The weekend weather for this week looks like this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2637487
So a bit chilly and a bit wet on Sunday but with some definite sunshine.
No excuses this weekend let's be aiming for a 9-.9.30 arrival for a 10am start both days and we can get some decent eventing through the day.
See some of you at the weekend
Cheers
S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.

Good Morning Campers,

I hope that you all had a good weekend and that this message finds you in excellent fetlock and fettle, hopefully the RoCers that braved the weather at the weekend are fully functional after hail and wet and cold and wind! So the weekend seemed to go quite well: Saturday was a great day full of assassinations, high pressure on the playing group and the loss of Oswald Grimjow on the field. Long term story goals set in motion well over a decade ago seem to be slowly coming to light and nearing a conclusion. Sunday followed slightly differently with a fresh look at Rhygahrea and a return to reffing for Gary; it stretched a little and was utterly devastated by the turn of heavy hail and freezing weather but we tested ourselves and proved worthy. A great first return to Rhygahrea albeit a slightly confused ending which the diminished and heavily wounded crew did bravely to get through.

On that note then thanks to my valiant Ref and Crew over the weekend: Gary Llewellyn and myself for reffing the weekend and to my outstanding crew: Tom Bestow, Simone Hibbert, Dazz Jones, Daniel Dorsett and Nick Lavies - You all did an excellent job, especially those on Sunday, taking nothing away from Saturday, in the sleet; I know I was so cold I could barely keep hold of a weapon! Some of my stand out scenes from the weekend - Certainly the dawning horror of Saturdays folk as the sheer weight of what they were doing began to beat down on them, the "how do you work" box question was also amusing. Sunday I especially enjoyed the illusory beasts, very clever, the trial scene and being the gothic Sluagh. I am muchly looking forward to the Fort event that is now next week.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1704048699821570

If you haven't already paid me - Please do so now.

This week is going to be an extremely busy one - Fort prep, Resource Month, Downtime week and Shop Orders all in one; I am unlikely to be openly available for general question answering or similar but I will make every effort to keep the system as open to you as possible.

It IS a Skype meeting tonight and I will try very hard to be there but, as stated, it's going to be a busy one and sleep will be needed at some point.

So that is us for the week - I'll make some more posts regarding the Fort as we go through it.

Word of the week - Yelm - A bundle of straw used for thatching

As always our thoughts are with all of those that are suffering at the moment and you know where we are if you need us.

Have a foxes and crows week people, I look forward to seeing a lot of you at the weekend and bumping into more of you between now and then.

Take care of each other

S

_________________
Lord give me coffee to change the things I can change, wine for the things I can't and painkillers for everything in between.