In the heart of the old Sears Building in the city’s warehouse district, an epic battle unfolds, transcending time and reality. Glinting armor catches the flickering light as two factions clash, arrows soaring through the air amidst the sweat of a medieval battlefield.
But wait – these knights aren’t warriors; they’re accountants, and lawyers, teachers and martial arts instructors. The orcs are spirited children, some of the knights are their parents. The weapons are mere foam, crafted at a kitchen table.
This fantasy world is the realm of Live Action Role Play (LARP). At the center of it all is Dylan Biasutto, a tattooed and bespectacled social worker, weaving connection and hope through this imaginative tapestry.
“LARP is essentially adult make-believe. We welcome anyone – any creed, anyone you can bring into the door is going to be accepted with open arms and a smile on our faces.”Biasutto and a friend started the Quest for Champions group a few years ago – and he says the response so far has been exceptional.
“Our LARP is a high fantasy LARP. You can show up after reading Lord of the Rings or reading a fantasy book and do well. We’ve had all manor of character races from elves to orcs show up. We have lore and have built a world for our game.”
Biasutto wanted to make live action role play accessible building a communal armory that can be used by participants, “we wanted it to be simple. You can read the rules once, or have them told to you once – walk in , and have a great experience.”
The group hosts nights to build armor and weapons. “It might seem intimidating. Maybe you don’t have an outfit, or weapons, or a character built. We wanted to deal with the anxiety of starting, and make it simple – give people a day outside of the LARP events to come in, meet the people, and see the space. This has lead to so many people coming back.
Dylan has been working with at risk for close to ten years with at risk people and people with developmental disabilities – this cache of skills has allowed him to help people in the LARP community with diverse needs, modifying the rule sets to accommodate them.
“Maybe you really want to play – but you have sensory issues, or you’re really afraid of someone hitting you. We make a rule that might say if you get close to a person instead of tapping them with your weapon you raise it to them. There is a lot of anxiety that comes with trying something new – part of my job is taking that anxiety and turning it into success.”
The last decade has seen an increased public interest in all things “nerdy” from Pokemon to Dungeons and Dragons – things once considered geeky and are now chic and mainstream. This phenomena is something Biasutto welcomes.
“Nerd stuff being cool nowadays is so wild to me. It’s not how it’s always been. I honestly think people getting into these different forms of expression is wildly positive – especially after the pandemic. The Freedom of expression is awesome”.
The mental health benefits of LARP go hand in hand with the physical ones. While you don’t have to be physically strong – there is a lot of cardio involved. “It is intense cardio. The weapons aren’t heavy – but there is a lot of running. You’re ducking from arrows and axes flying through the air, or sparring with someone – there is a lot of physical activity.
Quest for Champions next event is March 9th with a few new additions to the rule set, the addition of magic, and new weapons in the armory. The cost to attend is $15 – which gets you in and part of the community for the night with full access to the armory. All of the proceeds go directly back into the creation of new weapons, materials and maintenance of the space.
No costume? No problem says Biasutto – recommending comfortable clothing like sweatpants – and having some form of hydration for your first time out. He say’s for the first time out keep an open mind. If you’re coming to watch enjoy the spectacle he says. If you’re playing don’t worry – there isn’t much of a learning curve. “we’ve had kids as young as five come in, grab a weapon and stab someone in the knees.”
Be ready to make friends – says Biasutto. Siting his own mental health challenges in the past – he says the LARP community has helped him stay positive, and he’s made some extraordinary life long friends through the group.
“I was incredibly pessimistic in my past. After doing alot of work on myself and realizing that there are a lot of people without a place – I really want to have a place for people to come and express themselves. A lot of my regulars have become close friends – and in turn I have become an influence on them. I have a lot of pride in that – that keeps me going.”
You can find more information on the Quest For Champions Live Action Roleplay group here.