Restless in Portland LARP

Rules & Safety

Troupe Rules

  • Respect is key. Respect each other.
  • All members are expected to be 18+
  • No fighting, threats, hate speech, etc. This will NOT be tolerated.
  • If you are asked to stop something by a ST / admin, please comply.
  • If you are uncomfortable with a conversation, please speak up – and conversation will be expected to change subject! (this is true for in and out of character conversations).
  • Major conflicts will be resolved using the troupe’s conflict resolution policy.
  • Do not use a character’s likeness outside of game without the player’s express consent, in any context. This can be anything from character art to non-canon scenes to use in backstories of unconnected games and more.
  • Do not touch another player without first gaining their consent to physical roleplay.
  • Abide by all Safety Tools listed on this page.

A full copy of the troupe’s charter can be found here.

Weapon & Combat Rules

No weapon prop that can be mistaken for a real weapon should ever go outside. Even if it is technically on our site (i.e., the front area of WHUUF), do not bring it out where a passerby could see it. No brandishing of any weapons outdoors.

For weapon props involved in gaming indoors:

  • Gun-adjacent weapons must all be orange safety tipped.
  • No weapons with a sharpened edge are permitted. Foam reproductions and plastic blades are fine, but real steel must be blunt and generally sheathed.
  • Real steel weapons can only be unsheathed in an OOC area with Admin or Storyteller oversight.

Indoor brandishing and simulated action is accepted with the following caveats:

  • Gain quick OOC consent from those in the immediate scene for the brandishing or simulated action prior to doing so.
  • Make a quick announcement of “OOC: weapon drawn” or “OOC: stage combat” (as appropriate) to those in earshot so no one is surprised.
  • Any simulated action must be reduced to 1/4 speed (we don’t have full contact insurance and people can be clumsy).

Troupe Safety Tools

Check-Ins

During the flow of game, if you are having an intense scene and you want to check if everyone is doing okay with the scene, you can offer a Thumbs Up Check to the group.  To do this, you extend a hand with a thumbs up at some point during the scene.  Everyone can then respond with 3 gestures:  Thumb Up, Thumb to the Side, or Thumbs Down.

  • Thumbs Up says this scene is going well and I want it to keep on going.
  • Thumb to the Side says the scene is going fine, but you want to scale back the intensity a bit.
  • Thumbs Down says something is wrong and you pause the scene and everyone should go out of character to discuss and repair the scene.  It operates like an X-Card. (See Below)

X-Card

In a live action environment, we represent the X-Card by crossing your arms at any point during a scene.  If people aren’t noticing immediately, you can begin to tap these crossed arms against your chest. As soon as it is noticed, the scene immediately stops.  This is a way to communicate that a scene is making you uncomfortable for some reason.  If the scene doesn’t stop immediately other players in the scene should also match the X-Card gesture to make it clear to everyone involved.

When the X-Card is invoked the, players should discuss the scene to determine how to resolve the effect.  Perhaps it just needs to fade to black and a new line or veil should be created, perhaps the scene is just uncomfortable and the group needs to discuss and scale back.  The scene can also be rewound if a specific moment disrupted the experience as well and then started back up.

A player can also use this opportunity to simply step out of the scene.  The players and ST will figure out a way to simply remove that character from the scene and continue forward.  While there may be some minor in-character side effects, the ST will not carry major complications forward on a player who is feeling overwhelmed in a moment.

If a player X-Cards out of a scene, do not follow them. If you have concerns, check in with a staff member or troupe admin and they will handle the situation. Please give players space once the X-Card is invoked.

Colored Badges

Colored Badges are used to indicate a player’s comfort with physical space and intensity of RP.

  • Green – This player is comfortable with you getting in their space and coming at them with intense or aggressive RP.
  • Yellow – Please give this player some space and tone down the more intense RP. Communicate and check-in often to ensure you’re at the right level.
  • Red – Give this player as much space as possible in the venue and do not target them with any manner of intense or aggressive RP.

At check-in, the Admin table has a number of clip on badges with all three colors in them that you can rotate in case your level of preferred proximity/intensity changes throughout the evening. Please turn these badges back in at the end of the night.

Some players may make/provide their own badges, nametags, ribbons, etc. (i.e., a green button with a character name indicates green comfort)

If you’re ever not sure, ASK!

Player Advocates

A Player Advocate is a member of the troupe’s Admin team focused on mediation and conflict resolution. In the event speaking directly to another player or staff member is too daunting, the Player Advocates (PAs) exist to serve as an objective third party intermediary.

If you are ever in a situation at a game or other troupe event that has made you uncomfortable and you do not wish to speak directly to whoever caused the discomfort, please do not hesitate to contact the PA team with a description of what happened.

RIPPlayerAdvocates@gmail.com