by L. John
At Sherwood Park, a new game adds to the lazy noon buzz on most Saturdays. New players meet a merchant selling leather pouches and potions of healing. An armored knight and an elf argue about how to best rob an oncoming caravan while two ladies in medieval dresses spar with foam swords. Yet past all the costumes and props, a few cardboard boxes are stacked bearing the label, “Mutual Aid.”
Game developer Nick Burk (Kas the Blacksmith) is the creator and Lead Game Runner for the Specters of Sherwood LARP, an interactive game where players dress up and play the role of medieval fantasy characters. In general, LARP (Live-Action Roleplay) is a creative form of group storytelling, cooperative play, and escapism.
“Honestly, the real world can get overwhelming and depressing, especially for people eager to make a positive difference.” Nick said, “For mental and emotional health reasons, it makes sense for people to disconnect from social media, the news, and regular life from time to time. That’s probably a big reason why ‘immersive experiences’ like Dungeons and Dragons, Murder Mystery Parties, Escape Rooms, and LARPs have recently become so popular.”
Yet while the Specters of Sherwood enjoy their weekly breaks from reality, the reality of those experiencing homelessness isn’t far from view. “When playing the game, we leave modernity and politics behind.” Nick continues, “But Mutual Aid is a promise. It’s a promise that I’ll help you when you need it, and you’ll help me when I need it. As members of the working class, I believe that positive ideals like Class Solidarity, Mutual Aid, and building Duel Power should always be on our minds.”
Even though the LARP’s players form a politically mixed group, their characters seem to understand and share that mindset. This is helped by the context and setting of the game’s story. The Specters of Sherwood are members of Robin Hood’s band of outlaws who steal from the rich and give to the poor. They constantly engage in acts of sabotage and revolt against the corrupt ruling classes (and their hired muscle) while inviting all the oppressed and exploited peoples of Nottingham to help them build an egalitarian and self-sustaining community within Sherwood Forest.
For their first act of solidarity, players are encouraged to bring boxes filled with donated food, clothing, and other items to be delivered to the Homeward Bound Resource Center. This quest comes in the form of a letter from Friar Tuck, urging the player to remember those in need. “There is no time to ask who, why, or wherefore…” the letter reads, “…We must come to the aid of our neighbors. They are our countrymen, our fellows, and our equals. These are good folk. If our fortunes were switched, they would not hesitate to lend us a helping hand. Yea, in time, they just may!”
So far, this quest has prompted the donation of four large boxes with more to come. “Mixing Mutual Aid with medieval roleplay is simple.” Nick says as he prepares for next Saturday’s session, “Players are eager to complete quests and perform meaningful good deeds. It only makes sense that we use parts of our game to help out. Despite what many people in our country may believe, we aren’t ‘temporarily inconvenienced millionaires.’ Most of us are one or two paychecks away from eviction. The unhoused are our people. They are us and we are them, even when we pretend to be someone else.”
More information about the Specters of Sherwood LARP is available at: https://www.kastelogames.com/larp
The Revolutionist 