Chapter 4: The Circle is Broken

Time feels insignificant on the other side of the veil, the other side of the world or just the other side of the coin. The mist moves slowly to suddenly change shape and pave the way for something new, alien and formless. Formless shapes and echoes of soundless voices can be sensed through the fog. It's like trying to hold water in one's hand. As quickly as the forms come, just as quickly they disappear and are replaced by something new.

It is a dangerous place and a dangerous situation they are in. This they agreed upon as they made preparations to cross over to the other side, into the world of spirits, into the Realm of the Dead. Here, their powers are virtually insignificant when all laws and regulations are displaced from the structures of the world. But the mission demands this from them.

The assignment; to enter the spirit world and try to find a rare soul and bring it back, to assess the extent of the magical damage and then repair it all. However, they were not prepared for what they would find once they crossed.

But the sand in the hourglass has almost run out. Their discovery here could be the solution to all problems, or the beginning of the end. They now try to stay close to each other and follow the light that guides them back through this place where the dead and their shadows crave the warmth and powers of the living. The circle was closed before they crossed. Now they must try to keep it intact until they return.

Suddenly something shifts in the fog and a figure begins to chase them. The light fades as the form tears at them while whispering sweet promises in their ears. With united forces, they try to keep the circle complete and fend off the creature. With all haste they travel towards the light, back to the real world. But the darkness is nipping at their heels, and the flame is dying out.

Have they been gone for too long? Will they make it in time? Will they make it out of this place without something following them into the real world? And what will they do next? But as long as the circle is unbroken when they return, they have nothing to fear…

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Ostrobothnia has been torn apart by the supernatural forces that have ravaged the area over the past twelve years. Demonic creatures have broken loose, the fae have lost their home, the witnesses have exercised their newfound power, the werewolves have revolted, the spirits and undead have ravaged the countryside and the vampires have struggled to survive. And then we have the magicians, who according to many are the root cause of much of what happened in the past in Ostrobothnia.

Magicians may be the cause of a large part of the problems that now exist, but they may also be the key to the solution. But it won't be easy, because magic always comes at a price and magicians are increasingly selfish and have hidden agendas. But one thing can be agreed upon: if a mage's power is considerable, that is nothing compared to the power of a circle, especially IF and WHEN a circle is capable of working together.

WHAT THE LARP IS ABOUT

The core questions of the larp are:

  1. What is the price of magic and is the price always worth it?

  2. Are these seven magicians capable of acting as the rescuing force for Ostrobothnia in a seemingly impossible situation where personal ambitions and dreams are pitted against a sense of duty and the hope of survival?

The larp is about seven magicians who are trying to find a solution and a way to save Ostrobothnia from the supernatural forces that are tearing up reality. If they fail, the barriers between the different worlds will collapse and Ostrobothnia will become ground zero for wild and chaotic magic that in the long run could have disastrous consequences for the rest of the world. These strong-willed individuals may have scattered personal goals, but now they must try to unite their forces before it is too late, if Ostrobothnia, and themselves, are to have a future.

Many other beings depend on the world and are forced to adapt to the world's circumstances and laws. Magicians, on the other hand, have the ability and knowledge to bend the world to their will and change the conditions (or in plainly put, they cheat) to create better opportunities to succeed in the undertaken task. The problem is that they have little time, few resources and widely differing opinions about what needs to be done. Magic always comes at a price, but when the options start to run out, there's only one thing to do: buckle down and ask yourself how far you are willing to go and what or who you are willing to sacrifice in order to succeed.

The events of The Circle Is Broken revolves around what happens after seven mages entered the Shadow Realm, the Realm of the Dead and returned. But not everything has gone as planned, and they now need to deal with the aftermath of their visit to the spirit world, the knowledge they have brought with them, and come to a solution on what to do next in order to succeed in saving Ostrobothnia.

The larp explores the following things:


The larp might be suitable for those who like:

The larp might not be suitable for those who like:


TRIGGERS

Common triggers that may occur during gameplay and cannot be guaranteed to avoid are:

VISION

The vision of the larp is to create a mix of survival, intrigue and problem solving in intense situations that challenge one's creative thinking. The social interaction has a strong place within the game while exploring the nature of magicians, the endless possibilities that magic brings and how all this affects one's way of thinking.

To have a rewarding larping experience it is worth being socially active during the game as well as actively participating in the events and situations that the larp offers. By creating status games and contributing with creative thoughts and solutions, new and interesting situations can arise. The relationships between the characters are also in focus, as the larp has a small number of participants. The relationships will be written into the roles, but the players will be able to discuss among themselves how best to play the relationships so that they become rewarding and interesting.

EXPECTATIONS

The game organisers expects you who are interested in participating in the game to do the following things:

As a player, you can expect the following things when you sign up:

PRACTICAL INFO

Witness II: Chapter 4 - The Circle Is Broken is arranged by Eloria rf.

Dates for the different runs of the game: Autumn 2024
Location: To be announced later. The game will be held in the Vasa region.
Age limit: 18 years, as the game has heavy themes and elements of horror
Estimated game time: 5–6 hours + preparation and debrief
Arrival at the game location: 10:00–11:00
Workshop + lunch + prebrief: 11:00–16:00
The time of the game: around 16:00–22:00

Price: €30 for members of Eloria / €45 for non-member. You can find payment details here.

Food: During the party there will be some snacks, but no hot food will be served, but it is up to the participants themselves to be responsible for eating and drinking before the party so that you are able to partake in the game.

Location of the workshop: Same as the larp. The location will be announced later.
The dates of the workshop: Autumn 2024
Workshop time: 11:00–16:00

Number of participants per game round: 7

Registration opens: XX.X.2024 at 12.00. Sign up here!
Registration closes: XX.XX.2024 at 23.59

Game organiser: Calle Tengman

WORKSHOP

The workshop is included as part of the game preparations. During the workshop the participants will be able to take part in preparatory exercises and discussions about magicians' mentality and rituals, as well as gain insight into the events of the game and the techniques that will be used as well as which rules apply during the game.

CHARACTERS AND SIGN UP

When you sign up for the game, you can make requests regarding which roles you are mainly interested in playing. When you sign up, you can indicate interest in 3 characters that you are interested in playing and 2 that you are not interested in. In other words, the "first come, first served" principle does NOT apply. In addition, the game organiser cannot guarantee that you will get the role that you indicated as your preference, if there are many people interested in the same role. The final selection of participants and who plays which role will be made through a casting process.

For the game, you can sign up for one or more game rounds, depending on which dates suit you. When you register, you can also note if you are interested in ending up on a waiting list, in case you don't get a place at the club.

For Chapter 4: The Circle Is Broken, you will be able to play as one of seven mages. If you want to participate in the game in another way, you can also express your interest in playing an NPC (non-player character). An NPC means that during the chapter you play one or more characters who enter the story with a specific purpose for a shorter period of time. For this live, there will only be new roles to play, with the exception of possible NPCs.

Before the game, the game organiser will completely write your character and it will be sent to you after registration is closed and the final casting has been done. The role will be extensive in terms of intrigue and personality.

LIST OF CHARACTERS

Below you will find a list of characters. The game organiser reserves the right to make changes and adjustments to the characters as needed.

When you sign up for the larp you can indicate which of the following characters interest you:

Alis

Once I was powerful, more powerful than many of my kind. But that time is a thing of the past, like the shadows I now fight against. What I wouldn't give to be able to regain even a fraction of the knowledge and power I once possessed. Even so, I remember many things, but even they are fading away, like the sand in an hourglass. The only question is, can I remember what is needed to save us, to save me, or will this be my undoing?

A charismatic older character who struggles with their own problems from the past and at the same time strives to find a solution to the problems they now face. Suitable for a player who likes to play on status, strong emotions and internal conflicts.

Elwyn

Our world is filled with wonders, hidden truths and unmasked lies, but it is only one of many worlds. Both the fae and spirit worlds are close to ours, and they are both filled with wonderful, strange and dangerous things. My curiosity for these worlds has come with its price, a price I was happy to pay at first. But now beings and spirits whisper to me all the time and give me no rest or peace. Are they trying to drive me crazy or help me on the right path?

A wide-eyed and curious character who sees the world through both their own and other people's perceptions. Their curiosity and aptitude for meddling in other people's affairs means that they often get into trouble. Suitable for a player who likes to play on mixed feelings and thoughts, which are not always the character's own.

Kai

Being young and brilliant is both a blessing and a curse. But it is not enough that I have proven myself capable time and time again. For magicians experience seems to be a big thing when it comes to credibility. My failures or my past we don't need to talk about. But to ignore what has happened isn’t possible either. The only thing to do is to push forward. I will show them what a young and sharp mind can do, if only the members of the Council would be willing to listen. If I succeed with my task, I will surely have their attention.

A young, overambitious and arrogant character who at the same time has a sharp mind. The character simultaneously fights against prejudice at the same time wanting to prove their skills. Suitable for a player who likes challenges and who thinks they know better than others. 

Medo

I don't know why I always end up with the worst assignments. I only know that there is one way to get out of it all: forward. I dare to make, and take, the decisions that no one else dares to make, even if I end up in more trouble than I really want or need. But by being here, maybe I can find a way to atone for the magical over-reach I've done and finally be rid of this life once and for all. Either that or this will be the death of me. Feels like a win-win regardless. So now the only question is: what needs to be done?

A determined and heavy-hearted character who is not afraid to make difficult decisions and lives with the consequences of his past mistakes. Suitable for a player who likes to play on conflicts, be pragmatic and straight to the point.

Onyx

I have glimpsed parts of the future, or a possible future, and it scares me. I'm here to do what I can to change that, even if I'd rather run to the ends of the world. I need to believe that we have a chance to change things here and now, because I also know that we are the best chance we have. It's a depressing thought, but one I don't have time to think too much about. If we fail, if I fail, we only have one chance...one I'd rather not think about.

A character who is very torn after everything they have seen. The character struggles with  questions related to magic and its consequences at the same as they are driven to act, sometimes against their better judgement. Suitable for a player who likes a more philosophical game and internal conflicts.

Quinn

You can all go to the deepest levels of the Abyss! Why should I be so stupid to be here if I don't have to? Think about that for a moment. Cursed promises. This is a lousy mission that will end in the worst possible way: someone dying, or even worse, me dying! That can't happen, so it's just a matter of biting the bullet and getting this crap done. If only the others could stop for a while and pretend the world isn't burning and act like airheads then maybe, just maybe, we'll have a chance...

The character is arrogant and finds it easy to criticize others but has difficulty seeing his own flaws. At the same time, the character tries to make life as easy for himself as possible. Suitable for a player who likes to create conflict-games as well as trying to control the situation.

Tauri

I regret many things in my life, but nothing compares to the sadness and loss I feel for you. You were my life, but I couldn't save you, despite my best efforts. So now I do what I can and what you asked me to do: I try to help others. I may not be guilty for what has happened here in Ostrobothnia, but I will do my utmost to remedy and try to prevent this from going any further. I have faith in the others, even if they don't see it themselves. If only we could be united in our pursuit, this would be much easier. If only I could have the same thing in myself that I see in others: a path to reconciliation and forgiveness.

The character carries a deep sadness that now guides the character to a more pious life of penance and atonement. The character sees the best in everyone else but has difficulty seeing it in themselves. Suitable for a player who likes to play on heavy emotions, act empathically and have a more philosophical game.

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