What should you bring?

• Costuming. This is an absolute necessity for an event. The better everyone outfits themselves the better the game atmosphere will be as a whole. Costuming can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. Since we have been in this hobby for a long time we understand that sometimes costuming can be expensive and difficult to find. There are a multitude of shops on the internet that sell good costuming and range in price from inexpensive to ridiculous. If you wish to go more inexpensive, or are not sure if you will like this hobby and don’t want to invest much yet, thrift stores and garage sales can be excellent resources; you’d be surprised what you might find! Lastly you can always construct a costume by making a simple tabard. A large rectangular piece of fabric with a hole cut out in the center for your head to go through will do nicely. Wear baggy dark colored pants (like sweatpants) and a poet or other loose-fitting shirt without pictures, logos or writing on it. Belt the tabard over your costume and complete it with black or brown boots or if you must black sneakers (white sneakers are heavily frowned upon since they are so obvious). Make certain that whatever your costume it wears well and is comfortable. Make sure the shoes you pick (probably the most difficult aspect of a LARP costume) are comfortable because you will be on your feet a lot.

• Comfort Clothing. In addition to your costume, bear in mind you will be outdoors for a good portion of a typical event. Be prepared! Will it be cold? Damp? Rainy? Check the weather forecast link and take appropriate measures. Long underwear or sweats under your costume, a heavy cloak and/or an extra pair of socks can make all the difference of the weekend. If you are unprepared for the weather it might spoil an otherwise great weekend. An extra set of regular clothes is also a good idea for when the event is over and it’s time to go home.

• Sleeping Bag and Pillow. Camp Sacajawea has platform tents with sleeping mats, and there is also limited space in 3 separate dormitory-style cabins with spring steel bunk beds. A sleeping bag which is well rated is a minimum. A personal mattress pad or similar comfort item is highly recommended. Other sites we use will be similarly rustic. Most times cabins and buildings are unheated or minimally heated. As with proper clothing for an event, if you freeze all night or are otherwise uncomfortable it might ruin your event.

• Food and Drink. RoA does not supply any food or drink. There will be drinks available at the tavern for in-game money and there is usually a hot meal served at minimal cost on Saturday evening. Players can set up tabs at check in so they have no need to carry and potentially lose real world money while playing the game. Any leftover money is refunded at the end of the event at check out. We plan to offer some additional food out of the kitchen for future events. You should still bring plenty of food to keep yourself well fed for the event and not rely on food from the tavern. Events beyond our control can impact the availability of meals. Bring plenty of drink, more than you think you will need! Dehydration can happen quickly and unexpectedly when you are running around and playing all weekend, especially in the cold weather believe it or not! The best choice of beverage is water or something else that will re-hydrate you. Sodas and other caffeinated drinks tend to have the opposite effect. Water is always free and available at the tavern. You will not be charged in game or out of game money for a drink of water for safety reasons. Lastly, alcoholic beverages are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. You should also not bring any “non-alcoholic” beers as these can cause confusion and ruin in-game interactions if you need to be approached and questioned. As far as food goes, try to use your best judgment on what and how much to bring. A bag of candy bars may seem like a good idea when you are in the supermarket but it probably is not a good choice for the weekend. Food that is quick and easy to prepare and eat is best. Sandwiches, granola bars, fruit, bread and cheeses are good for this. Try to keep your food stowed away in clearly out of game areas and if possible make your food appear in-game. Modern wrappers etc. should be used and disposed of discretely.

• Light Sources. Flashlights and other modern devices may NOT be used outside the cabins during the game. A beam of light such as this spoils the whole atmosphere we are trying to create. You may use these after game off or within the confines of your cabin if you must. For in-game areas you may use glowsticks which function as “light spells.” Battery operated Krill® Lamps can be purchased online at www.kriana.com.

• Medical/Outdoor Supplies. A first aid kit is always available on-site, but it is never a bad idea to bring your own including Band-Aids, and other supplies. Tylenol, Aspirin or whatever you like to cure headaches, stomachaches and the like is also good to have just in case. If you take any medication regularly remember to bring that too and if you have any serious conditions or allergies please alert staff so we can be aware of it. Lastly bring anything you might need such as bug repellent, sunscreen etc. We will be in a wooded area and precautions are always wise.

• Shower/Hygiene Supplies. Showers should be available for use most often when we are using the camp. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush etc. are a good idea. We will thank you for it. Shower shoes and a towel are also recommended.

• Boffer Weapons and Armor. Bring your boffer sword, staff etc. with you to the event; you’d be surprised how often people forget! DO NOT BRING REAL WEAPONS OF ANY TYPE. Leave any knives, pocketknives, axes or any other real weapons at home. If you have them onsite, you may be asked to leave. In effect we have zero tolerance towards real weapons. You should also bring duct tape, spare foam etc. to repair your boffer weapons in case they are damaged during the event. For more info on making boffer weapons click here to view and download our boffer making guide. Also if you have in-game armor, bring that also!

• Money. If you have not already registered for the event, bring enough money to cover your at-the-door registration. Please note that we are not able to accept credit/debit cards, but Venmo and PayPal do work. You will not need real-world money for any other reason at the event.

• Liability Waiver/Health Information. Bring your completed waiver with you. This is especially important if you are under 18 as your parent/guardian MUST sign for you. The form is available here.

• Spell Packets and Prop Bandages. If you are a spell-caster, bring spell packets with you. If you have the First Aid skill, bring prop bandages with you.

• Props. Bring these along to dress up your cabin and improve the atmosphere of the game!

• Notepad and Pencil. You will meet lots of people and find out lots of things. In case you decide to write it down you should have these items. Bear in mind that in order to utilize these during game hours you should have the Literacy skill.

• Donations (if applicable). This is entirely optional, and only applies if you have arranged with us ahead of time. First time players are not expected to donate any items, but if you are interested, contact us. Before each game, we will post a list of requested items that would be helpful for making the game run smoothly, and players have the option to contribute and be rewarded with Service Points. To learn more about service points, please refer to the rulebook.