PARSONS, Kan. — “This is a cross gaming event so there is a lot of medieval. Mele battle that will be going on over in the field. We play out different scenarios, mock bridge battles, sieges, raids on villages, also some things with more fantasy elements,” said Zachary Sellers, an event organizer.
LARP-ing, or live-action role-playing, not only allows participants to dress up and meet new people.
It’s a part of who they are.
“A bit of a hobby and for a lot of people it’s a large part of their life…The larger LARP community is amazing and while we all still have our differences, we still obviously love coming together, beating each other with foam sticks, and then after having a good laugh of all the battle stories that we made that day,” Sellers said.
On Sunday, LARP-ers from all over Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri came to Parsons Kansas to battle it out with folks from other “realms”.
“You get exercise while you do it. You make a lot of friends. And it’s really an open and caring community. We all help each other out and have a good time,” said a LARP-er who goes by Angus, the Beefy.
For participants, the event is a way to connect with like-minded people, stay active, and relieve stress.
“For me, it’s a reason to get out of the house, it’s a really good way to exercise and learn self-defense at the same time. And all the connections I have made, I’m gonna be learning how to make the weapons soon. It’s just a lot,” said a LARP-er who goes by Noot.
He even said being a part of the larping community was life-changing.
“I always sat around the house, and sitting in the house all day in the dark, gets you down, and so I finally saw them in the park one day and I said hey what’s this and they said its dag you should come to fight with us, and so I came and fought with him. Adrenaline rush came through. Greatest time of my life and I just never stopped,” Noot said.
For many out at the event, these people are family and say it’s the one thing that makes sense when the rest of the world doesn’t.
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