So, playing LARP in Croatia generally implies the freedom to drink alcohol. Sometimes it goes beyond just a glass or bottle of vine — or two or three — and not just for some.
The LARP with an ancient world theme where magic was present was one I organized back in 2015. It’s awkward when someone drinks too much and causes problems for others, but I personally haven’t been in a situation where someone drunk at a LARP got on my nerves. In some countries, the default assumption is that you don’t drink at a LARP, and then drinking becomes the exception. We’re a country where the love of beer, wine, and rakija intertwines.
A set of sober Greeks
When the organizer drinks too much, things can also go wrong, but the mistake I made happened before I even touched alcohol. Part of a puzzle/riddle had somehow already gone missing. The players came to me and said, “Hey, what you gave us can’t actually be solved.” I thought, oh god, people are drinking at the LARP and now it’s hard to focus on tasks — maybe it’s not a good idea to make challenges too complex. And I thought, how come four people can’t solve something I solved in a few minutes? But when I got to the puzzle myself, I didn’t understand what was going on either — because, well, by then we’d all had a few drinks, not just me, and my focus was miserable.
One sober Gaul soon to lose her mind
The LARP had various tasks for the players and several factions with their own goals, so one failed riddle didn’t ruin the whole experience. But one plan succeeded beyond all expectations! My dear crazy friend Saša (Alex) played the role I gave him — a beggar who later revealed his true identity as the god Dionysus. The idea was that everyone had to drink in his honor, or he would curse them or something along those lines. And convincing fish to swim is not that hard. It’s not like I remember everything clearly — and some remember even less than I do — but there was everything from friendly brawls to naked wrestling to a bunch of fingers pretending to simulate sex, which, to me, seemed more like comedic chaos.
Dionysus managed to enchant the players to a delightful extent. But let’s not kid ourselves — people often go to LARPs to eat well and drink well, and no one was actually forced to drink. And if someone was, well, you try saying no to Dionysus — especially if you didn’t give him a coin earlier when he was acting as a beggar.
Many fondly remember this LARP, where a wild and joyful atmosphere reigned. And our game Cloak and Boffer will definitely be one where you can enjoy a drink or two — because, after all, you’re playing a LARP in the Balkans.
This is our animator Zvonimir Barać, like a Greek philosopher.
Most of the photos from this LARP will forever remain for private use only.
