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Dear enrollees for Europa;This is the first Infoletter for Europa. In here, you’ll find lots of important information about the event and answers to some frequently asked questions. For general questions - you can contact us by writing an email to europa@laiv.org or calling (+47) 22 17 05 95. For specific questions, check the list on page 6. This letter should answer most of the questions we know players to have. But we’re looking forward to meet you in person, and especially to see you at the LARP. We have received many emails from eager players, as well as offers for help - even from people who won’t be at the LARP. That’s an important inspiration for us - thanks! - the Europa organisers Contents1. SITUATION REPORT - where we are 2. ENROLLMENTS AND PAYMENTS - FAQ 3. TIMETABLE - what’s going on 4. MYTHS AND TRUTHS 5. CHARACTERS - guidelines for starting character development 6. PEOPLE - who do I ask which question? 1. Situation reportLocationPreviously - we had reserved a place called Skjeggelia - which was OK, but not ”it”. Then we found the perfect location - Lunde, in Vestby outside of Oslo. This place is so ideal, it’s a bit hard to understand it hasn’t allready been put to use as an asylum reception centre. We’ve booked Lunde and cancelled Skjeggelia. So that’s where the LARP will be held. EconomyAs we have not received any economic suport from the government, the Nordic Council or similar - we’re running on a pretty tight budget. If you know of an organisation or government institution in your homeland that might support a nordic event, please let us know. NetworkWe have found enough instructors in all four countries. At the moment, we are busy giving them enough information on keeping up the dialogue on our method of character development. The most important part of this will be the instructor seminar on December 9-10 in Oslo. After this is done, you can expect to be contacted by your instructor to begin character development. Oskar Åslund (oskar@larp.com) has become our country contact for Sweden, Lars Munck (muncken@get2net.dk) has become our contact for Denmark. The contacts are coordinating payments and looking for cheap travel routes from their country to Oslo. 2. Enrollments and payments - FAQQ: Is Europa full-booked?A: As of today, Europa has some 50-60 registered players. Enrollment forms are coming in all the time, so it’s a bit hard to give an exact number. We have not reached our target number of 80 players. The majority of the players are from Norway and Sweden - so, we are currently working on getting more players from Finland and Denmark - deadlines are postponed for these two countries. Our ideal is for there to be en equal amount of players from all four countries. Q: Does this mean my Swedish/Norwgian friend can’t enroll?A: No, but we can no longer guarantee places to Norwegian and Swedish players. There is still a chance to get in- by paying fast and/or by joining the Royal Orsinian Department of Justice - the bureaucrat group, who will be having a mini-larp-within-the-larp. Also: if you speak serbian, croation or bosnian, we wouldn’t mind more reception centre personell. Russian-speaking police characters are ofcourse available - these are free, but will only be there part time. Q: I haven’t paid yet, but I was amongst the first to enroll - does that count?A: No. Payments, not enrollments, are crucial in booking a place at Europa. Q: I haven’t paid yet, what happens then?A: If you’re late in paying, you risk loosing your place to someone else. The price is also increased 50%, to NOK 1200,- for late payments (after december the 15th for residents of Norway). For residents of Norway, the price has already increased to NOK 900,-. A similar increase in price will soon come for residents of Sweden. Q: I haven’t paid, and I can’t pay right now - but no way am I going to miss Europa!A: If you haven’t paid yet, and know you can’t do so at once, we can discuss a postponement or splitting the bill into two smaller parts. Contact Janicke Krogh : jannickekrogh@hotmail.com ASAP with an email explaining why you need a postponement, and when you can pay. Q: My job/family/health won’t permit me to come after all - what then?A: If you find out you’re not able to participate at Europa, please let us know ASAP by sending an email to europa@laiv.org. The sooner you let us know, the less of a problem it is for us. Late and last-minute cancellations put a tremendous strain on the organisation. Q: If I pay and the LARP is full - will I get my money back?A: Yes, of course. Q: If I pay, but have to sign off - will I get my money back?A: Not by default, although it depends on the situation. Q: If an earthquake/military coup/Act of God forces you to cancel Europa - will I get my money back?A: Yes, of course. Q: Why all this talk of money?A: Because we’re runing on a really, really tight budget. Every cent a player forgets to pay, will have to come out of some organisers pocket. Every cent a player delays paying - makes us really, really nervous. 3. TIMETABLE - what’s going on, whenDECEMBER 2000Entire monthCharacter development process begins. Instructors will be getting in touch with players.9th.-10th.Instructor couse in Oslo. Instructors from all over the Nordic countries arrive in Oslo to learn, teach, experiment and discuss.9thPARTY for Europa players, instructors and organisers. Norwegian players will receive more info on this. If you don’t live in Norway but feel like coming to Oslo for the party - let us know.ca 15thKompendium (compilation of background info, tips and sources) is readyJANUARY & FEBRUARY 2001ProloguesWe aim at holding at least one prologue (mini-larp) in each of the Nordic capitals. In addition, local instructors may take the initiative for prologues. Drama coursesWe hope to hold a drama course in each of the Nordic capitals, although we can’t guarantee we’ll make it. Prologues and drama courses are a service, not an essential part of preparations. Money for these travels comes out of our own pockets. FEBRUARY 2001By the 1st of February, your character should be well-defined. Friday 23rdfor some travellers this is the best day to arrive in Oslo. Contact us if you’re in need of lodging for the night. Saturday 24th10:00 - The Europa take-off begins. Players are sent into the LARP in groups. Wednesday 28th19:00 - The End. March 1st - 4thKnutepunkt, the annual Nordic LARP festival, in Oslo. Don’t even think about not being there! We’re planning a Europa-room at Knutepunkt, which can be used for chatting, derolling and pictures. If something contreversial happens at Europa - it will be discussed during Knutepunkt. Both by picking up rumours and by reading through some enrollment forms, we’ve found there to be some persistent myths about Europa. Let’s dispell them at once: I’ve heard Europa will be the toughest LARP, ever!Not true, but we understand how this rumour has spread. We’ve tried to be as honest as possible about what we think you may/may not encounter at Europa. The exact details of this (30 minutes in darkness, occasional lack of food, occasional lack of sleep) are on the Europa website. Believe it or not - but Europa will probably not be harder than this. There have been plenty of LARPs that have been much harder on the players than Europa. Also, the ”hardcore” part of the LARP is something you can opt-out. ”HC” Larping is not an essential part of the concept. Intense roleplaying, however, is. I’ve heard the organisers will be doing lotsa stuff to harass the players!Not true. Europa is a Dogma 99 LARP. The organisers have taken the strict Vow of Chastity forbidding us - amongst other things - to intervene with LARP after it has started and some common ways of controlling it before it begins. This LARP belongs to the players. If anyone wil be harassing anyone else, it will be players making life hard for other players. I’ve heard Europa will be a humouristic LARP.Not entirely true.. we want serious roleplaying, and meta-humor (stuff that’s funny in real life but not in-game) is strictly forbidden. We’ve based the reception centre on real-life treatment of asylum seekers in the nordic countries. This means there will probably be some situations as absurd as they are in real life. That may be funny, but if so - it’s funny and frustrating in-game. I’ve heard Europa will be just like AmerikA.Nope. The Weltschmerz LARPs are thematically connected - discussing ”world problems” best symbolised by a particular continent. Apart from that, the Weltschmerz LARPs are remarkably different concepts. I’ve heard Europa will take place at a refugee camp/a prison.Asylum reception centres are neither refugee camps nor prisons. They’re nice, cozy, friendly social democratic institutions where refugees are stored at an isolated place until they can be sent home or (less likely) integrated in society. Reception centres are of course rarely as nice & cozy as they were intended to be. And the reception centre ”Europa” will be a worst-case-scenario. That still doesn’t make it a prison, though. You’ll have the freedom to run away - though there won’t be anywhere to go.. 5. CHARACTERS - starting character developmentThe InstructorsBefore December is over, you should have been contacted by your instructor. This won’t happen before the 9th and 10th as that’s when we hold our character development course. MethodYou should come up with more than one, preferrably as many as five, ideas for a character. You may start developing ideas at once. Your instructor may give you further ideas. We want you to choose the best of these ideas together with the instructor. The Europa website (http://weltschmerz.laiv.org/europa/) contains some info on typical refugees, and a description of the Nordic troubles. These are a good starting points for beginning character development. An important thing, though, is that you should be prepared to KILL YOUR DARLINGS.. that character idea you really loved may turn out to be unplayable or not fit into the whole. This will be determined through your contact with your instructor. Important
6. PEOPLE - who do I ask which question?General contact: europa@laiv.org ORGANISERSEirik Fatland (creative, PR) Cath Røsseland (scenography) Attila Evang (rolecoordinator) Heidimarie Evensen (rolecoordinator, bureaucrats) Irene Tanke (practical) Jannicke Krogh (economy) Karen Winther (practical) Annika Evensen (food) COUNTRY CONTACTSCountry contacts co-ordinate payments to save time and expense. They may also be active in finding cheap travel routes for the LARP. Players from Finland can contact Mike Pohjola and Cecilia Heikel. Jannicke Krogh (Norway) Oscar Åslund (Sweden) Lars Muck (Denmark) Ines Saracevic (Trondheim, reception centre personell) Kristin Hammerås (Bergen, Norway) Hanne Grasmo (Norway) Lars Munch (Denmark/Jylland + country contact) Hilde Bryhn (Denmark/Jylland) Pia Basballe (Denmark/Sjælland) Emil Boss (Stockholm, Sweden) Gabriel Widing (Stockholm, Sweden) Johanna “Joc” Koljonen (Stockholm / Finland) Pia Niemi (Stockholm / Finland) Martin Ericsson (Stockholm - Sweden) Cecilia Heikel (Finland) Mike Pohjola (Finland) |
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