Campaign Events

What is a Campaign Event?

Campaign events are the main vehicle through which the Death Unto Darkness story is told. These are overseen by the Game Team, and advance the story of the campaign. They usually run twice a year.

What to Expect at a Campaign Event

Numbers. Campaign events usually run with approximately 30-40 players and the same number of crew.
Combat and Plot. These events typically include a mix of combat and non-combat plot. Non-combat plot includes negotiation, investigations and interrogation, finding items hidden in the environment, puzzles and decision-making problems.
Venue. Campaign events run at a variety of sites including scout camps, Youth Hostel Association properties and other venues. We have exclusive use of the properties we hire, so you should typically not expect to encounter members of the public during the game. We run at locations across the UK.
Duration. Events usually begin on Friday evening. Time Out is usually called late on Saturday or late morning on Sunday.
Cost. Playing an event usually costs between £100-£130, though the price varies depending on site hire costs. Lower-cost access tickets are often available for those unable to pay the full price. Crewing an event is free.
Catering. Some events are catered. Catering usually comes at an additional cost payable directly to the caterer, for both crew and players. If the event is not catered or you do not wish to pay for catering, you will need to provide your own food.

Accessibility at Campaign Events

Site access. We welcome players and crew with additional physical access needs, including mobility. Because we use different venues for each event, we cannot guarantee that all our events are accessible for users of mobility aids. Contact the game team in advance if you would like a copy of the accessibility statement for the site of an upcoming event.
Combat. LARP combat is an important part of Campaign Events, and all Campaign events will have some degree of combat. However, it is possible to both play and crew these events if you are unable to participate in LARP combat. You may declare yourself "Non-Contact"; see the Combat Safety rules for details. While players and crew will make best effort to avoid contact with Non-Contact players, we cannot guarantee that you will not be struck with a LARP weapon if you attend a Campaign Event.
Accommodation. Many of our events run at sites which have sleeping facilities (usually bunk beds) on site. Sometimes we run events at camping-only sites. In both cases, we are usually able to accommodate sleeping needs such as the requirement for a private room or access to power for a CPAP machine; however, please Contact the game team to confirm whether our next event has these facilities.
Ablutions. We typically run at sites which have running water and plumbed toilets. Most of the sites we run at also have hot showers.
Catering. We work with caterers who are able to accommodate most dietary requirements, including allergens. We request a list of medical issues including allergens in our booking form, and our caterers will work to ensure you are not exposed to any allergens.
Mental health. We encourage self care before, during and after events. We will provide opportunities for players and crew to step out of the game into a quiet OC space if they are feeling overwhelmed.

What Will I Do At An Event?

Playing

Players usually play a single character for the duration of a Campaign Event. You design your own character, with help from the Game Team; for more information, read Building a Character.

You should expect to provide your own costume and props. Any weapons you bring must meet the Prop Safety rules.
In some cases, the Game Team may have a limited amount of kit available to lend, but you must Contact us ahead of time if you intend to rely on this.
You should expect to roleplay your character, speaking and acting as them, after Time In! is called, until prompted otherwise.
You will be given some information in advance about the location and mission that your character is being sent to. Some traits, such as Spymaster, will provide the opportunity for your character to receive more information in advance.
On some occasions, a character will be appointed in advance as the IC leader of an Inquisition task force. On other occasions, characters will be expected to arrange hierarchy and decision-making between themselves.
- While there may be IC repercussions for not following the event's mission or listening to an IC appointed leader, you are free to roleplay your character as you please, within the bounds of the Player Character Conflict rules. There is no OC expectation or requirement that you do what any other character says.
In the rare instance your character dies or is taken out of play during a game, the Game Team will either help you introduce an alternative character for the remainder of the event, or provide you with appropriate crewing roles.

Crewing

Crew play antagonists, allies and any other individuals the player characters encounter.

Crew should usually expect to play multiple roles over the course of an event. These roles are written by the event team and delivered in the form of a verbal or written brief.
We ask our crew to bring a simple baselayer (usually plain black), sensible footwear with good ankle support appropriate for walking outside, and warm layers.
The Game Team may ask crew to volunteer to bring additional props or costume, but you are not obliged to do so.
The majority of crew should usually expect to be involved in LARP combat during the event, though non-combat roles are always available for those unable to take part in combat.

The Social Contract

We usually expect our players to crew one event for every event they play. Read The Social Contract for more details.

Next Event

Our next event is called The Tempest and will take place at Birch Hall Scout Camp in Yorkshire in October 2023. For more information, see the Facebook event.