Rangely draws LARPers

RANGELY | “You can be anything you want to be!” This positive affirmation heard during childhood takes on a new meaning at Amtgard Live Action Role Play (LARP) events. Citizens of Rangely may have noticed people dressed in medieval costumes out and about in town during the past weekend. 

The Desert Winds kingdom gathered with approximately 215 players at the Rangely Camper Park for their Salt Wars event. The event was explicitly based on the Netflix series, “The Witcher,” season 3. Opportunities at Salt Wars include questing, battles, meals, crafting and socializing. The Desert Winds kingdom spans from Nevada to the Western Slope and Montana to Arizona. Battles are conducted in 3V3 tournaments where small groups battle each other in a bracket-style tournament for a defined winner. 

The “Battle Game Full Class” event includes all players who wish to engage in a significant field battle where all fantasy skills and abilities are utilized to defeat the opponent. The field was transformed with props to create terrain effects such as mountains or rivers. 

Whiskey, the coordinator of the Desert Winds kingdom, described how each feature played a role in the battle. If players cross the blue ribbons, they cross a river and must move more slowly than on “land.” The game event is structured with rules and objectives that encourage players to come together and compete and includes safety checks before battles. 

Live-action role-play is a community-based game model of costume (garb), character, talent, service and achievement. The surface-level purpose is to provide and create a space and opportunity for people who love fandom and fantasy play to become or portray their characters in experiential settings and a gaming environment. The purpose also partially includes fundamental skills with fantasy persona, allowing players to strengthen and learn new abilities as characters and people. Garb ranges from high quality with detailed purposes to protect from heat/cold to simpler garb of masks or belts. One service project opportunity that players can engage in is using garb for newer players to use while they grow their character. 

Players of different kingdoms come from various backgrounds and have skill sets they bring to the event. Players can include employees at McDonald’s alongside aerospace engineers. There is no discrimination against participants. 

Some players’ skills include crafting, woodworking, sewing, first aid and management. The game heavily supports the influence of arts and sciences skills. Leaders in the game can put in around 60 hours per event. Opportunities are available for players investing in the organization to become leaders and support others. The games community seeks to encourage players to be themselves and offers radical acceptance of each player and who they are. Players cite the game as a form of mental health care and a resource for personal development in and out of the game. 

Most players come from far throughout the “kingdom,” but a few local families joined in. Rangely is a park within the Desert Winds kingdom, “Yggdrasil’s Oasis,” with the Monarch (president) Nick Lafevre, aka “Root Gem,” and the Regent (vice-president) Jasmine DeFreitas, aka “Azireal.” The role of the Regent is to organize and teach in the arts and sciences division of the game. 

Root Gem states, “Amptgard is free to play for ages 14 and up. Under 13 requires supervision. Yggdrasil’s Oasis congregates at the Rangely Camper Park on Saturdays and can be reached via the Facebook group or page.” 

The event closed with the “Kingdom Court” on Saturday, where players who put exceptional effort and dedication into the game and event were recognized for their contributions. A new member was knighted at the ceremony, a sacred opportunity and responsibility that was an honor to witness. 

The next event is Aug. 9-13, 2023, when the Empire of the Iron Mountain will hold a mirror inter-kingdom event called “Rakis.” Hip, hip huzzah! 

BY KATIE FAYE KING | Special to the Herald Times