UK LARP history
CJ has in March 2015 started to collect resources on UK LARP History on what may well become a more formal project, or be quietly abandoned, in the future. So far I have collected only names and dates for various strands of UK LARP, and tried to put links as I can find them. I have designated conatct larops where fighting with larp weapons occurs as CLARPS, Fest Contact larps as FClarps and non-combat systems by various labels.
FCLARP = Fest Contact LARP CLARP = Contact Larp- one where physical contact is used to resolve combat FREEFORM - in the UK sense - all characters designed by game writer, no physical combat WKFREEFORM - a weekend long Freeform.
Contents |
1982
April 1982 Treasure Trap Fantasy CLARP founded at Peckforton Castle - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Trap by Peter Carey and Rob Donaldson [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
Steve Jackson Games publish Killer; this book codifies a US college game known by many names. Many games were tun across UK campuses and schools as a result. I would be interested in hearing more about peoples experiences playing variants in the UK.
Mazes and Monsters is a Hollywood film in which Tom Hanks plays a LARPER. A moral panic about the dangers of RPG is stoked by the film. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazes_and_Monsters
1983
February - Durham University Treasure Trap created for purpose or arranging trips to Peckforton. At this stage they do not run their own events? Still going today, the longest surviving UK Fantasy CLARP system. [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
1985
1985 sees the sale of Peckforton Castle, end of Treasure Trap, and the explosion of UK Fantasy CLARP.
Peter Garner starts overground Fantasy CLARPS in Kent, under the name Garner Adventure Tours http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/introduction/history/
Treasure Trap closes after losing access to Peckforton Castle & financial issues. [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
Durham University Treasure Trap begin running their own events. 30 years on they are still running weekly events as part of Durham University Student Union. Claims to be he oldest continually operating Fantasy CLARP group in the UK [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
Birmingham University Treasure Trap was again a group of enthusiasts from Treasure Trap who responded to the closure of Peckforton by running their own Fantasy CLARP games, lasting till 2002. [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
Mythlore Fantasy CLARP set up by Mark Cordory, still running today as Mythlore New Lands. It ran mostly in the Forest of Dean with occasional forays into the Brecon Beacons.
Garner Adventure Tours moves to Chislehurst Caves, and is renamed Labyrinthe http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/introduction/history/
Portly Pixie Fantasy CLARP launched by Helen Holdforth and Roger Price in Coventry. It runs for next twenty years. https://portlypixie.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/hello-world/
The Nameless Anarchist Horde's CJ & Hugh Wake run Romeo & Juliet meet the Verona Chainsaw Massacre, a KILLER variant with rules for tragic romance that ran in the King Edward VI Upper School, Bury St Edmunds for one week in September 1985.
The Nameless Anarchist Horde's CJ & Hugh Wake run Cthulhu at Halloween '85, a one off Cthulhu CLARP in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The game is set in the modern era, and features 6 investigators, NPC ghouls and a 2 person carried shoggoth costume worthy of an Ed Wood film.
BattleBoard LRP was a private Colchester group of Fantasy CLARP players http://www.battleboard.freeserve.co.uk/
1986
John Naylor and Steve Bell found Fools & Heroes Fantasy CLARP. Founded in Nottinghamshire there establish local branches throughout the UK and the annual FCLARP Summerfest which was the first Fest to break the 1,000 player mark in the early 1990's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fools_and_Heroes
Heroquest Fantasy CLARP launched in Gloucester, with events at Biblins in Forest of Dean by Mark Roberts. http://www.heroquest-larp.co.uk/live-roleplaying-uk/about-heroquest.html They are still going strong today
Flights of Fantasy Fantasy CLARP set up in the Northwest. It later becomes Nothing Ventured.
1987
Pete Garner leaves Labyrinthe and former player and staffer Jan Mc Mannus takes over; Alan Morgan deals with the innovation of Play By Mail downtime, keeping your character involved between adventures. http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/introduction/history/
Children's TV show Knightmare begins, and is arguably a TV competitive LARP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knightmare
1989
The Australian Games Group publish Morgana Cowling's The Freeform Book http://www.amazon.co.uk/THE-FREEFORM-BOOK-MORGANA-COWLING/dp/B003LM07L6 popularising the use of the term FREEFORM
1990
The term LRP seems to the normal term in the UK. I have found no references to LARP before this date.
Battle Board in Colchester advertises and grows to thirty players. http://www.battleboard.freeserve.co.uk/
1992
The Lorien Trust founded as a charitable organisation to run Fantasy FCLARP events at Locko Park, Derby. http://www.lorientrust.com/ The Gathering, the Summer Bank Holiday event reaches considerable size in the years to come.
Home of the Bold Gloranthan FREEFORM run at Convulsion
Battle Board LRP splits in to Mists of Avalon and Shadows of Sorcery LRP based in Basildon http://www.battleboard.freeserve.co.uk/
1993
Mind's Eye Theatre VLARP rules released, suing a R/S/S (Rock/Scissor Stones) system. These games cover White Wolf's World of Darkness setting. The Camarilla UK follows, but I have no information on dates or events - can anyone help?
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/camarillauk/Projectinfo_page.htm
Also Machiavelli Games begin 5 years of large scale games set in the world of Ars Magica. http://archmachiavel.tripod.com/
1994
Mists of Avalon and Shadows of Sorcery LRP both cease running. Mists of Avalon and Shadows of Sorcery LRP
1995
UK Freeforms run Cruel Hoax's WKFREEFORM Cafe Casablanca http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/cafe-casablanca
The Lorien Trust becomes Merlinroute Ltd trading as The Lorien Trust, a private company. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorien_Trust#Lorien_Trust_Events
1996
UK Freeforms run Cruel Hoax's WKFREEFORM The King's Musketeers http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/the-king-s-musketeers
Curious Pastimes founded and the Fantasy CLARP Renewal Campaign, still going strong today launched. http://curiouspastimes.co.uk/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curious_Pastimes
1997
Cthulhu Live 1st edition published by Chaosium. The game rules by Rob McLaughlin are clearly partly inspired by the earlier HPLHS games in the USA. Immediately COCLARP groups spring up, including influential groups in Malvern, Worcestershire and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM 1897: Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/1897-queen-victoria-s-diamond-jubiliee
Quest Celtaii is running, I believe in Scotland. Does anyone have details?
1998
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM Arabian Nights http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/weekend-freeforms
CJ runs Cthulhu Live adventure on farm at Ashchurch, Tekesbury
1999
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM Shakespeare's Lost Play http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/weekend-freeforms
Nothing Ventured becomes Forever's Destiny this year.
July 23rd UK Freeforms founded as Yahoo Mailing List by Steve Hatherley - http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/uk-freeforms/ & https://www.facebook.com/groups/363628217072715/
Chaosium publish the CON LARP book NEXUS http://www.abebooks.co.uk/Nexus-Live-Action-Roleplaying-RPG-Supplements/10885384018/bd
2000
UK Freeforms second run of Cruel Hoax's WKFREEFORM Cafe Casablanca http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/cafe-casablanca
CJ runs his Cassandra 23 7 weekend Cthulhu Live campaign which takes place over multiple locations in real time in Cheltenham & environs.
CJ writes Boots for the Glory of Russia COMMITTEE GAME for CGCHESU LARP Soc.
Fantasy Flight Games publish the Cthulhu Live Players Companion http://www.amazon.com/Cthulhu-Live-Companion-Robert-McLaughlin/dp/1887911103
2001
Simon Morgan, owner of Eldritch a CLARP kit kit company takes over Labyrinthe from Jan Mc Mannus. http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/introduction/history/
2002
Cambridge University Treasure Trap Fantasy CLARP founded by former Durham players Jennifer Curtis and Toni Badnall. Continues till 2014. [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
Birmingham University Treasure Trap run their last event. [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
2003
As late as 2003 LRP rather than LARP still a common usage.
Profound Decisions launch Renaissance Fantasy FCLARP Maelstrom
The White City run Fantasy CLARPS in Oxford
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM The Torch of Freedom http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/the-torch-of-freedom
2004
Matt, Alison and Bill Pennington create Profound Decisions.
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM The Siege of Troy http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/the-siege-of-troy
2005
Portly Pixie Fantasy CLARP closes https://portlypixie.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/hello-world/
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM Once Upon A Time in Tombstone http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/once-upon-a-time-in-tombstone
2006
Skirmisher LLC publish a 2nd Edition of Cthulhu Live
Phil Branscombe, Duncan Mathias and Andy Byatt take over Fantasy CLARP Labyrinthe which becomes Labyrinthe UK Ltd and runs to present day. http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/introduction/history/ UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM Pyrates http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/pyrates
2007
First Nordic Style LARP To Strive... run in UK at Grand Tribunal in Cheltenham. http://www.grandtribunal.org
2008
Forever's Destiny starts running Fantasy CLARP events in Northwest England and continues to the present. http://www.destiny.org.uk/boards/viewtopic.php?t=4553 It grew out of Nothing Ventured.
UK Freeforms second run WKFREEFORM 1897: Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/1897-queen-victoria-s-diamond-jubiliee
Peaky Games - a Game Writing Weekend starts, and runs to current day annually. http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/peaky many Freeform games have been written there and some are available for purchase. Consequences the Freeform LARP Convention held at Naish on the South Coast begins, and has run every year since. http://www.ishtari.co.uk/consequences/
2009
UK Freeforms second run WKFREEFORM Tales of Pendragon http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/1897-queen-victoria-s-diamond-jubiliee http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/tales-of-pendragon
Isles of Darkness splits from the Camarilla UKand both continue till present http://www.islesofdarkness.com/
2010
Profound Decisions begin running Odyssey a Classical era Fantasy FCLARP. http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/odyssey?1
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM Sharp & Sensibility http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/sharp-and-sensibility
Nathan Hook publishes Green Book 1 - Nordic Style LARP scenarios
2011
December 2011 - Phoenix LRP a Fantasy CLARP in Coventry announce they will run events using the Portly Pixie system. The forum suggests they ran adventures in to 2013, and they may still be active. http://www.phoenixlrp.com/
Ornithocracy: A Parliament of Fowls by David Mumford launched
UK Freeforms second run WKFREEFORM Once Upon A Time in Tombstone http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/once-upon-a-time-in-tombstone
UK Freeforms run WKFREEFORM Masquerade http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/masquerade
2012
Profound Decisions end their Maelstrom game.
SWATT set up by Stephen Begley at Sussex University, a former member of CUTT. Fantasy CLARP [Source: Wikipedia, Treasure Trap]
Lizzie Stark publishes a history of LARP Leaving Mundania, which largely ignores UK styles.
UK Freeforms third run of WKFREEFORM Lullaby of Broadway: All That Jazz http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/lullaby-on-broadway:all-that-jazz
The Art of War Freeform by Mark Galeotti run at Continuum Convention.
2013
Profound Decisions launch Empire a Fantasy FCLARP http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire?3
UK Freeforms second run Cruel Hoax's WKFREEFORM The King's Musketeers http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/the-king-s-musketeers
Space Penguin games launch Pioneers a SF CLARP https://www.facebook.com/groups/PioneeersLarp/
Nathan Hook & Tasia Kann publish Green Book 1 - Nordic Style LARP scenarios
Projekt: Ragnarok Occult WWII game - http://www.projektragnarok.co.uk/
2014
UK Freeforms third run of Cruel Hoax's WKFREEFORM Cafe Casablanca http://uk-freeforms.wikidot.com/cafe-casablanca
Nathan Hook publishes Green Book 3 - Nordic Style LARP scenarios
Firecat Masquerade begin Tales Out of Anchor http://firecat-masquerade.com/ and the COMMITTEE GAME Project Snowflake enters playtest
2015
A Foot On The Stairs 1920's country house LARP
UK Freeforms third run of WKFREEFORM Lullaby of Broadway: Into the Woods
