[UK][Lorien Trust] Where to start?

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

As the title says, I've been interested in this for a while, and I was wondering if anyone could give me info on where to start. And how much it'd cost.

Personal info:

17 year old male living in Lancashire.

Thanks in advance.

[VonGribblefaust]

Hmm, interesting question.

Ultimately it depends on your favorite period of 'actual' history. The Wolves Faction bears certain uncanny similarities to Nordic culture whilst the Lions are distinctly Arthurian in nature.

Also, as an aside, I too am in Lancashire. Specifically Lancaster and happen to know several Dragons in the area. If you're interested in hanging around with us at the Games, just drop me a PM.

[Obliviat]

www.merlinroute.co.uk (http://www.merlinroute.co.uk/) is thier website and has quite a lot of info. I would sugest looking through this for dates/prices of the main events

regards

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

Thanks guys, I was also wondering about how "newbie friendly" the Lorien Trust is , and where are good inexpensive places in the UK to get costume etc.

[Matt M]

Back when I did LT (which is going on for 9 years ago) it was really best to find a group first and then go to events with them. Try a few of the smaller events as you're more likely to be able to get involved in those straight off. Just turning up to a big event would put you somewhat out on a limb.

-Matt

[invisible_al]

I agree the Gathering is not an event for a new larper on their own. I went as a newbie and I had a lot of help from my mates to get me into plots.

I'd recommend getting in touch with a faction that you like the sound of (the merlinroute website should have list of links) and asking them for some advice. They should be able to get you in touch with some groups in the faction and recommend which of their smaller events you might enjoy.

[Snoopy]

There again, the big events are nice to turn up to and gawp at everything going on. Of course, if you don't know anyone, it's a bit intimidating, but there should be no problems talking to someone in your faction getting to show you around a bit.

And when it comes to factions... you can always change faction whenever you want (although it might be best to change character at the same time, especially when migrating from the Vipers (sneaky bastards) or the Tarantulas (Drow, and all that entails)). The website ought to have a bit of a rundown on each Faction, but I can give my own perspective on some of them:

Vipers -- sneaky thiefy bastards, never take part in a fair fight
Tarantulas -- Drow, nuff said.
Lions -- (my faction) honourable, try to stand up for the little guy, never leave a man down
Harts -- Excessively English, tea and biscuits style
Wolves -- feral honour
Gryphons -- French, I believe, don't really know a lot
Dragons -- I really don't know their philosophy, but they're a good lot, and where I might go with my next character
Unicorns -- Seem fine, I had a good time with them last Heartlands.
Jackals -- Egyptian style, they like the undead.
Bears -- Caledonian kilt wearing guys. Very cool.

I'm in the Lions (as are several other people from here), and I know woolTECH is in the Dragons, I'm not sure what other factions people might be in.

As for costuming, I get most of mine from charity shops!

[Eggwhite]

Back when I used to do LT, Dragons were vaguely Celtic, with an internal split between Cwmryan (Welsh) and Erin (Irish) Dragons. I don't know if that's still the case - it's been at least four or five years since I went.

The events are fun, but I strongly recommend trying to get yourself involved in an active group as soon as you can. The guilds are probably a good bet as well.

Also, from what I hear it's changed a lot in the past few years in terms of getting people involved and dealing with some of the old problems - so if you hear people who stopped ages ago (like me) complaining, bear that in mind.

For reference, I used to be in the Dragons faction, in the Tuatha de Danon group(yes, I know about the spelling being wrong).

[Eggwhite]

Just to add a little bit, the Dragons faction have a webpage (http://www.dragonsfaction.org/).

Here's a link straight to their OOC page (http://www.dragonsfaction.org/ooc/), which includes a quick intro to the faction and what's what if you want to join them.

[Snoopy]

I should really mention www.celestialknights.org.uk, which is the Lions Faction message board (both IC and OOC)

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

I'm mostly torn between Lions, Vipers and Dragons at the moment, so please, sell your faction to me.

[Snoopy]

As I admitted, I don't know the most about the Dragons, despite thinking about going there next (I have some friends there!)

As for the differences between Lions and Vipers, well...

If you feel like being a sneaky bastard, never taking part in a fair fight, reneging on agreements about Honour battles, and don't see anything wrong with Mage Bolting someone in the head for fun, then go for the Vipers!

(You can tell I'm a Lion, can't you!)

On the other hand, if you want to stick by your word, stand up for the little guy against the big bully factions, then come and join us in the Lions!

One thing I have to point out, though, is the rules re-write that's coming up. In character, there is a cataclysm coming up that will re-shape the world, and we get to vote which of four options we want (although the Dragons and certain of the Lions are supporting a fifth option). The Vipers are going for the option of Famine, where there will be very few magic items, and they will be very powerful indeed; the thinking being that because there are a lot of Vipers, they'll have most of the power and be able to roll anyone else to quickly hold all the power. Under Famine, no-one else will really have anything worth having.

The Lions are mostly supporting Feast, where there will be a few things around of decent power, but everyone will have sufficient to support them comfortably. The current period is a period of Feast, so if this cataclysm `wins' then nothing much will change.

Just to let you know!

[Ralph Horsley]

Hi,

I think everyone has made good points so far.

I myself starting playing at the LT about 2 years ago. I have found it a very friendly and easy going game. Though it might have been helpful to have an introductory A4 piece of paper with some of the basics on. The sort of things that experienced players completely forget about. Various skills and abilities either have 'lore sheets' or 'spell cards' these will need to be collected, either from GOD or the respective Guilds. Don't be afraid to ask other people what to do, or seek advice.

Indeed if you are not part of a group then the various Guilds can be a useful existing group that anyone can join without any prior planning. They will give you good information about their area of expertise, provide you with things to do and have their plot events. Just hanging around the Guild tents long enough will inevitably result in encountering something!

I am a member of the Harts. It is an easy going faction, well run with plenty of plot lines to pursue. They also get on pretty well with most other factions, so you won't be treated too suspiciously if you want to socialise outside your own camp.

Cheers,

Ralph
====

[Gunhex]

Just to fill in on a few bits:

1. Find a group to go with. I love the LT, but I'd hate to be new there and on my own...

2. Lancaster has a long history with the LT, and the Dragons in particular. The University used to have a huge turn out and formed the basis of the Tuatha de Danon (spelt incorrectly on purpose), however the group as such no longer exists. I was the last unit leader until my character died, and I believe there are still a few characters technically left, but no unit as such.

3. I think the students at the uni still go, and are still in the Dragons. Though they are certainly in different groups and at reduced numbers. You might want to track them down and get to know them. http://www.lancs.ac.uk/socs/lurps/

4. If you do end up going and it all goes wrong, don't sit there being bored. Find a faction leader and ask for something to do. If that doesn't work, head to the Imperial Tent (if there is one) and ask for Lucius. I'll see if I can sort you out with something.

[Snoopy]

... ask for Lucius. I'll see if I can sort you out with something.

Ah! You're Lucius... You learn something new everyday.

[Gunhex]

Yeah, I get around a bit...

And who might you be?

[DaveB]

He's Rhapsody, the Lions High Ritualist.

Snoopy fails to mention the most important thing about the Lions - we always Lose. Always. Heroically, mind, but with the relative sizes of factions the guys who stand up for the right thing tend to get stomped. Last Gathering battle we ended up fighting three larger factions by ourselves. On the plus side, the Wolves were impressed enough by the cahunas of it that they let us live.

So if you want to stand up for the right thing and be heroic in defeat, join the Lions. Just start preparing for a Famine future. :)

- DaveB. Lion since 1998.

[Snoopy]

It's true, we do tend to get stomped a little bit. Well, quite a lot, really. For example, yes, we took on three (larger) factions last Gathering battle, but me and my ritual group (mostly unarmed non-combatants) took on the Vipers' High Command Shield Wall. And didn't give ground.

SImilarly, in an honour battle between us and the Vipers, where each side was honour-bound to only bring their faction, we turned up alone, whereas the Viper line definitely included some Wolves and Unicorns as well (not that I dislike these factions at all, the `blame' lay squarely on the shoulders of the individuals involved) and so their line outnumbered ours a good 2 to 1. We had little chance.


So we charged.

It was great!

[VonGribblefaust]

2. Lancaster has a long history with the LT, and the Dragons in particular. The University used to have a huge turn out and formed the basis of the Tuatha de Danon (spelt incorrectly on purpose), however the group as such no longer exists. I was the last unit leader until my character died, and I believe there are still a few characters technically left, but no unit as such.
Marcus the healer was about the last member to still be about as far as I know and he cacked it last Gathering I recall. There's only about three remaining and they don't make it to the events that often, in short the Tuatha is pretty much on hiatus.
3. I think the students at the uni still go, and are still in the Dragons. Though they are certainly in different groups and at reduced numbers. You might want to track them down and get to know them. http://www.lancs.ac.uk/socs/lurps/
We'll be coming to the majority of the events left this year (ie. the Gathering and one of the Moots). If anyone wants to sign up or just hang around with us, we'd be happy to have you. Just drop a PM at some point so I know who to look for.

[Phantom Stranger]

And Benny, if you can make it up to Lancaster at the right times, the Uni runs its own LARP stuff. You should be able to get gear tips and, on certain weekends, weapon makers come up to flog their stuff.

Plus, y'know, we're good people and some of us'll be willing to chat at any given time.

[Daydreamweaver]

I'm not a LARPer myself, but I've heard some fantastic tales from a good friend of mine (he posts here sporadically, but I can't remember the username; maybe Jerusalem Steel?) about Void Lance, a small cluster of insanity that is part of the Lions faction.

Snoopy, can you enlighten people about their awesomeness?

[Snoopy]

Jerusalem Steel is indeed his LARP character's name. Void Lance are a part of one of the bigger groups in the Lion's Faction (the Prince Bishop's Men) who have spent a (reasonably) large amount of time being lost in the Void. Each of them has the same formula for a name:

First name is that of an ancient city, and surname is something to make it sound cool. So we have

Jerusalem Steel,
Nazareth Sparkle and
Londinium Mishap (the doctor!)

and several more that I can't remember.

[Daydreamweaver]

Jerusalem Steel is indeed his LARP character's name. Void Lance are a part of one of the bigger groups in the Lion's Faction (the Prince Bishop's Men) who have spent a (reasonably) large amount of time being lost in the Void. Each of them has the same formula for a name:

First name is that of an ancient city, and surname is something to make it sound cool. So we have

Jerusalem Steel,
Nazareth Sparkle and
Londinium Mishap (the doctor!)

and several more that I can't remember.

There was a long list on the Prince Bishop's Men website, but I don't know how up to date it's kept.

[Snoopy]

Most of them are one-offs that have just been created for a specific small event. I'll see who turns up at the next two big events I'm at!

[DaveB]

That would be Void Lance, a subgroup of the Prince Bishop's Men in the Lions. We're all Van Helsing knockoff demon hunters with overly grandiose names and Indiana Jones hats:

Jeruselem Steel, his sister Masada Steel, Bethlehem Apocalypse, Nazarath Sparkle, Megiddo Stone, Londinium Mishap, Matzupichu Rage, Byzantium Creed, Obsidia Balls and so on.

Aside from the core of people that play them as their main characters, there is a current fashion for having a Void Lance secondary if one is an npc or just at a small event.

[woolTECH]

OP - did you make it to the Heartland Games this weekend? What did you think?

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

OP - did you make it to the Heartland Games this weekend? What did you think?

I couldn't, mostly because my bank balance this past few months has hovered around the area of £0.29 :p

I'm gonna try and get a job once my exams are over this year, so I should be heading to the gathering.

[Snoopy]

And boy should that be a first event to attend! Highly lethal, though, but a lot of fun, I think!

[Jerusalem Steel]

Speak of the devil and he shall demand royalties. Or appear. One of the two.

The Lions have a number of good groups to join, and I can really recommend them as a faction. They have a set of really friendly and open leaders, a number of good groups who offer a huge variety of appearance, outlook and background, and a very good standard of roleplay. Our small events (one spring event and one winter event per year) are of a very, very high standard and I've not had this good a time in general in the LT since I began (which was around 1999).

As for best groups - the Prince Bishop's Men are a very old unit with a very recognisable symbol and group tabards, which makes getting kit together a lot easier. The website is here (http://www.durholme.org). They're all about tradition, pride and carrying big shields. We have breakfast and lunch get togethers at events, and generally have a good number of newish LRPers sourced from Durham university's LRP system.

Void Lance (which I'm both proud and ashamed to say is my hideous twisted brainchild) is a part of the PBs Men.

The other big unit (which is really much bigger) is House Soulsplitter - website here (http://www.soulsplitter.co.uk/) - who are heavily armoured skirmishers and are probably the closest the faction gets to a berserker type unit.

There's some information (bits outdated) at www.lionsfaction.co.uk but I'm happy to answer questions on here if you have any :)

*pimps his faction*

('ello DaveB and Snoopy)

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

>removed talking<

See, now this lot sounds interesting, except for one thing, you seem to be a very martial kind of faction, I'm more a magicy type person.

[Jerusalem Steel]

My part of the PBs (Void Lance) is military to the exclusion of mages by design - the rest of the group is anything but that, really. Apologies to other people for going into detail about my own group, but I like it a lot so suck it up ;)

The group comprises of two main parts - military and civilian. The military includes those mages who feel like they want to be up behind the shield wall in any fights to affect people on the other side of the fight, to counter spells, etc. The system allows mages to a) wear light armour without it reducing their spellcasting ability, and b) take the ambidex skill and cast with one hand while wielding a weapon in the other. If you want to be a martial sort of mage, there's nothing stopping you fighting alongside the rest of us.

If you're more the scholar, the civilian side includes the current representative of the faction's mages, alchemists, incantors (priests) etc on the ruling council of the faction, as well as the faction's current high mage. There are definately up points and down points to being in a decent sized established group, but one of the up points is the instant support and recognition as well as the benefit of other people's experience.

The way it's set up allows one to be supported by the other as and when needed, and (once we've recovered from the blow of our main kit-transporter having his car torched with 20+ tabards inside it) people on either side of the military/civilian divide can wear some sort of group emblem be it a full tabard or a small belt loop. All provided on a loan basis each event by the group.

The faction itself isn't overly martial more than anything else - we have a healthy complement of healers, mages, ritualists and incantors.

[Snoopy]

See, now this lot sounds interesting, except for one thing, you seem to be a very martial kind of faction, I'm more a magicy type person.
All factions have to be martial in some way --- in LT, magic (well, the type players get) can't actually deal any damage (which, BTW I like. Being killed by someone just shouting at you is not great, I like to have a chance!) so you need fight-y types to get in the way and kill people, while the magic users deal with the undead, mend shields, knock people over, make the opposing shield wall run away etc.

[Snoopy]

So, Benny, had any thoughts about this? Will you be able to make it to any events this year?

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

I all depends on if I can raise the money. I need a job, and I have a long summer of drink & partying ahead.

If I can raise the money then yeah.

[Snoopy]

Finishing exams?

Here's hoping the money comes your way. Where are you travelling from, as there might well be someone willing to give you a lift, and the travelling costs can mount up...

[Benny the Gnome Bard]

Finishing exams?

Here's hoping the money comes your way. Where are you travelling from, as there might well be someone willing to give you a lift, and the travelling costs can mount up...

Burnley, Lancashire, and I finished my last exam yesterday.

[dfester35]

As for the differences between Lions and Vipers, well...

If you feel like being a sneaky bastard, never taking part in a fair fight, reneging on agreements about Honour battles, and don't see anything wrong with Mage Bolting someone in the head for fun, then go for the Vipers!

(You can tell I'm a Lion, can't you!)

On the other hand, if you want to stick by your word, stand up for the little guy against the big bully factions, then come and join us in the Lions!

One thing I have to point out, though, is the rules re-write that's coming up. In character, there is a cataclysm coming up that will re-shape the world, and we get to vote which of four options we want (although the Dragons and certain of the Lions are supporting a fifth option). The Vipers are going for the option of Famine, where there will be very few magic items, and they will be very powerful indeed; the thinking being that because there are a lot of Vipers, they'll have most of the power and be able to roll anyone else to quickly hold all the power. Under Famine, no-one else will really have anything worth having.

The Lions are mostly supporting Feast, where there will be a few things around of decent power, but everyone will have sufficient to support them comfortably. The current period is a period of Feast, so if this cataclysm `wins' then nothing much will change.

Just to let you know!

On a note about fair fighting. I notice you do not mention that the faction which forged the alliance against the conclave is ............... the Vipers. You also do not mention the Lions, Unicorns and others sacking the camp of the Tarrantulas and Vipers when their fighting force was off attacking the conclave, fighting for Erdreja. Honour? Good? The Lions are every thing the Vipers are except they pretend otherwise.

The honour battle you mention the Uncorns were House Carrack and they joined both lines. The wolves were there to administer healing (to both sides) not combat.

The only factions I can think of betraying honour battles would be the bears using pattern rending magic, but then you know what happened to them.

[dfester35]

In the lions favour, I did once help defend their gates (before House Soulsplitter formed) as my group were also Thruddites, (but Thrud had let their leader die so they broke with Thrud and we were having a wake). I was dropped by their foes and they healed me without question.

Vipers - some heavy armour, the shield wall mentioned was the Legion, not Viper High Command. Mostly though the vipers have some very good ritual teams, the Gypsies and the Faculty.

Quite fond of the Harts. If I was not a Viper I'd probably join them.

I recommend generating a "throw away" character, drifting from faction to faction if you get a feel for things.

In the Vipers a student based body is the Serbian Alliance, run by Guy Hudson, my current group Das Kriegshund is difficult to break into unless you've shown some skills at heavy armour combat, my former group is pretty much older so socially you may not have much in common.

[Jerusalem Steel]

You also do not mention the Lions, Unicorns and others sacking the camp of the Tarrantulas and Vipers when their fighting force was off attacking the conclave, fighting for Erdreja.

There was a fair delegation of Lions & Bears off doing just the same thing at just the same time :)

[Simon Marks]

P'shaw

The Conclave are just a decoy created by the Harts to divert everyone from their 'Poisoned CakeGate' fiasco of 1105. Aided by the Empire to cover up for the fact that the Last Cataclysm was actually caused by the High Ritualist fluffing his lines.

Actually, I have nothing to add to this thread except that no-one is as good as their PR says, but the best place to start is actually anywhere people will help you out. It's not a faction that is friendly but individuals.

So, anyone who is willing to make good on the offer 'New to the LT? Come join our group and we'll show you around!" is the best place to start. I can vouch that most factions have at least 1 or 2 groups like this. If you don;t like a faction, you can always move (although camping limits this)

[Snoopy]

There was a fair delegation of Lions & Bears off doing just the same thing at just the same time :)
Including me!

[drakensis]

I'll probably (almost certainly in fact) be at the Gathering, which will be my first time for a Lorien Trust event.

However, I was invited by friends in the Wolf Faction so I expect I'll be starting out with them. One of them, apparently is not only the Chief Wench but managed to break a shield wall unarmed last time. Sounds amusing to me.

[Snoopy]

Cool. I shall look out for you, although that'll be hard!

[drakensis]

There may be a lot of players but I'll probably be one of the few Wolves wearing a kilt, should my costume be finished in time.

[Jerusalem Steel]

That should lead to some interesting roleplaying for you - the Wolves are pretty much the enemies of the main kilt-wearing faction (the Bears) and are heading towards that status for the Dragons, who also have some kilted folk.

[Daydreamweaver]

The Lions are every thing the Vipers are except they pretend otherwise.


I'm sorry if this makes me a bad person, but you totally sound like a Harry Potter character. :o :p ;)

[Simon Marks]

"The Gryphondorf are every thing the Slitherin are except they pretend otherwise."
"The Lions are every thing the Vipers are except they pretend otherwise. "
Oh ... My ... Gawd!

She's right!

[Daydreamweaver]

"The Gryphondorf are every thing the Slitherin are except they pretend otherwise."
"The Lions are every thing the Vipers are except they pretend otherwise. "
Oh ... My ... Gawd!

She's right!

You lose a geekpoint for the spelling, but gain one by default for getting the reference. ;) :D

[Simon Marks]

"The Gryffindor are every thing the Slytherin are except they pretend otherwise."

Better?

[drakensis]

That should lead to some interesting roleplaying for you - the Wolves are pretty much the enemies of the main kilt-wearing faction (the Bears) and are heading towards that status for the Dragons, who also have some kilted folk.

I'll probably be from Orkneyjar... and something of a mercenary...

[dpmcalister]

While we're pimping groups within factions (I'm a Lion as well ;)), my group is the 116th Inquisitorial Auxiliary (the 116th for short): http://116th.modus-operandi.co.uk/

We're a heavily Warhammer 40K based group (the short version of our background is that we have been marooned on Erdreja since a journey through the warp). None of our technology works so we've had to learn new skills (fighting with swords, etc.)

If you think that appeals just let me know. You won't be able to miss me at the Gathering as I'll be the Imperial Cadian walking around harrassing the Lions 2IC ;)

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i302/dpmcalister/LRPing/kali.jpg