There is even more extensive and in-depth description of all our character groups available at the blog post Character groups and game play experience!
Character groups
Officers (Rental uniform required)
The officers are in charge of coordinating the work of the bridge crew, making judgement calls and issuing orders on things such as when to engage in battle, when to retreat, when to initiate a jump, as well as other issues arising during the larp. Thus, they are closely associated with the action on the bridge even though they don’t have their own posts there. There are always two officers on duty, the (acting) captain and the XO.
The captain(s) and admirals are also in charge of making large strategic decisions that concern the fate of all the characters. Towards the end of the larp this responsibility will shift more to the civilian leadership, and the officers will need to coordinate and cooperate closely with them.
With the exception of the captain and the XO of the Odysseus, most characters in this group will come from outside of the Odysseus. They will be required to get familiar with the crew and the working methods onboard to be able to assume command during their shifts. The officers will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Bridge crew (Rental uniform required)
In addition to commanding officers there are the following posts on the bridge: navigations officer, weapons officer, communications officers, and science officers.
The bridge crew works in three shifts throughout the larp. While there is no need to have all the stations manned at all times, certain information (e.g. scanners and communications) need to be monitored 24/7. This means that characters associated with the bridge will spend a lot of time steering the ship, making plans, communicating with other ships, preparing for and fighting battles, and maneuvering as well as monitoring different data streams provided by the systems.
Most of the characters in this character group are part of the original crew of ESS Odysseus, but quite a few of the posts in the extra shift mandated by the emergency protocol are manned by other passengers with matching ranks and skills originating from other ships. The bridge crew will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Pilots (Rental uniform required for most)
There are four fighter pilots stationed on Odysseus, and a couple of extra ones will arrive with other groups. Pilots fly fighters and engage in space battles and surveillance missions. They are a part of the military organisation and their game will involve the military hierarchy and possible conflicts between the military and the civilians. They have a tight group and mainly group-centered plots and relationships.
We aim to prop two or three cockpits in the hangar bay. These are two-person fighters with one pilot and one weapons officer. Both pilots have headsets that let them communicate with the bridge and with each other. We use Empty Epsilon as a platform that will allow us to use several ships in the same scenario. This will let the fighters and the mothership see each other on the map and make maneuvers together.
There will not be a high emphasis on space battles, but there will likely be a few bigger ones and some close calls and minor clashes. The pilots might also get assigned to assist the marines with internal security. The pilots will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Marines (Rental uniform required)
The marines’ priority task will be to perform land missions, typically of the surveillance and “search and retrieve” type. There are three teams (one of them added during the game) who will be transported to planets to execute these missions. At least some of the missions are streamed on a screen onboard the ship through headcams worn by some of the marines. Each team will have two to three missions during the larp.
Onboard Odysseus, the marines will have two major roles. They have acted as internal security since the declaration of the martial law and they are there to break up fights and to make sure that everyone follows orders, possibly causing conflicts between the military and the civilians. They are also the first and last line of defense in case the enemy should board the ship. The marines will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Engineers (Rental uniform required for most)
It is up to the engineers to fix everything that inevitably breaks up onboard Odysseus. This group is in charge of repairs and maintenance, which will make for a hectic schedule: be it an overheated hyperdrive, a gas leak, broken shield generators, jammed gun controllers, or fried scanners, the engineers will have to be there to save the day. There are only a few engineers assigned to the ship, but skilled civilian engineers will be recruited to help. Some of the engineers will thus be a part of the military organisation, while some are civilians.
Some maintenance tasks will need to be performed routinely throughout the larp, others will only become necessary under certain conditions. Maintenance work comes as different types of puzzles for the engineers, ranging from pulling two levers at the same time to setting calibration values to connecting wires. We will create mechanical things to fix, crawl spaces to crawl in, and brain teasers to solve. For the engineers, these will be the main content of their game, but like all characters, engineers will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Medics (Rental uniform required for most)
Medics will be doing their best to keep everyone fit and operational, patching up those who are injured in a fight or during land missions. They will also be performing routine medical check-ups and taking care of those passengers who have other conditions requiring medical attention.
There are two medics stationed on Odysseus, but considering the situation, all civilians with medical training have been drafted to help. Thus this group also includes characters who are not originally part of the military. The medbay needs to be manned around the clock, so medical personnel will also work in shifts.
We plan to make the healthcare feel as real as possible (involving lots of fake blood and various machines that give information on the patients’ health status). The medics will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Scientists (Optional rental uniform available)
There are several scientists onboard the Odysseus, since the ship’s latest mission was exploration involving scientific discovery. The scientists, in cooperation with representatives from both of the EOC and Velian religions, as well as in some cases the medical personnel, will be solving riddles discovered in beacons left behind by their ancestors, as well as the mysteries of the ancient alien race and the technology they left behind. It is also their job to study the enemy to find out its possible weaknesses. Some of them will also have personal experiments and projects going on.
The scientists are civilians and most of them are heavily involved with the Faith of the High Science, the main religion among the characters. Scientists do not have the same kind of strict shifts as the military personnel, but they, too, will need to take turns to be on duty as there might be a need to keep working around the clock. The scientists will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Velians (No rental uniforms – style guide for props provided)
Roughly fifteen passengers come from the planet Velian. They will start the larp in a different location with roughly the same number of players that come from the EOC Space station Atlantis. This group will spend the first hours of the larp solving problems of their own before being united with the rest of the players onboard Odysseus.
Velians, who lived in a domed city built by an ancient alien race on an otherwise uninhabitable planet, only recently came into contact with the EOC Nations. Ambassadors have been sent by both sides, but due to the distance interaction has been sparse. A common theory suggests Velians might originate from one of the Genesis ships that never made it to Ellarion. Velians have a very unique culture where they live in a strictly theocratic society and follow the teachings of their spiritual leader the Guardian.
The Velians' game focuses around their own culture and internal plots as well as getting accustomed to the other groups. They also have much to contribute to solving the riddles of ancient alien technology as well as the mystery concerning their shared ancestry with the EOC population. During the larp all Velian characters will be assigned to help out in one of the following groups: bridge crew, pilots, engineers, marines, medics, or scientists.
Civilians (No rental uniforms – style guide for props provided)
Civilians aboard the Odysseus come from different backgrounds varying from politics to religion and entertainment to more shady businesses. During the larp all civilian characters will be assigned to help out in one of the following groups: bridge crew, pilots, engineers, marines, medics, or scientists. It is up to the players to decide if they want to make themselves useful in learning the new skills associated with running a starship, or if they want to focus more on personal plots and other shenanigans.
There are various types of people among the civilians. Some are hard-working, honest people who only want to survive. For others, life has not been fair, and some have drifted into darker directions. The catastrophe, the loss of not only their loved ones but their entire civilization, might mean a full descent into darkness, but it might also be an opportunity for redemption, facing the mistakes of their past. A chance for a new life – or a chance to turn a profit from the misfortune of others.
For the survivors, the main themes will be survivors’ guilt, new beginnings, atonement, and choices on how to proceed in this new world. Political characters also have a large amount of political influence. They are in key positions to solve the potential conflicts arising between the civilians and the military during the larp, as well as deciding on how the human society should be built anew. Some of these characters have made their careers as politicians, others are just now rising to power after the catastrophe.
The officers are in charge of coordinating the work of the bridge crew, making judgement calls and issuing orders on things such as when to engage in battle, when to retreat, when to initiate a jump, as well as other issues arising during the larp. Thus, they are closely associated with the action on the bridge even though they don’t have their own posts there. There are always two officers on duty, the (acting) captain and the XO.
The captain(s) and admirals are also in charge of making large strategic decisions that concern the fate of all the characters. Towards the end of the larp this responsibility will shift more to the civilian leadership, and the officers will need to coordinate and cooperate closely with them.
With the exception of the captain and the XO of the Odysseus, most characters in this group will come from outside of the Odysseus. They will be required to get familiar with the crew and the working methods onboard to be able to assume command during their shifts. The officers will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Bridge crew (Rental uniform required)
In addition to commanding officers there are the following posts on the bridge: navigations officer, weapons officer, communications officers, and science officers.
The bridge crew works in three shifts throughout the larp. While there is no need to have all the stations manned at all times, certain information (e.g. scanners and communications) need to be monitored 24/7. This means that characters associated with the bridge will spend a lot of time steering the ship, making plans, communicating with other ships, preparing for and fighting battles, and maneuvering as well as monitoring different data streams provided by the systems.
Most of the characters in this character group are part of the original crew of ESS Odysseus, but quite a few of the posts in the extra shift mandated by the emergency protocol are manned by other passengers with matching ranks and skills originating from other ships. The bridge crew will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Pilots (Rental uniform required for most)
There are four fighter pilots stationed on Odysseus, and a couple of extra ones will arrive with other groups. Pilots fly fighters and engage in space battles and surveillance missions. They are a part of the military organisation and their game will involve the military hierarchy and possible conflicts between the military and the civilians. They have a tight group and mainly group-centered plots and relationships.
We aim to prop two or three cockpits in the hangar bay. These are two-person fighters with one pilot and one weapons officer. Both pilots have headsets that let them communicate with the bridge and with each other. We use Empty Epsilon as a platform that will allow us to use several ships in the same scenario. This will let the fighters and the mothership see each other on the map and make maneuvers together.
There will not be a high emphasis on space battles, but there will likely be a few bigger ones and some close calls and minor clashes. The pilots might also get assigned to assist the marines with internal security. The pilots will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Marines (Rental uniform required)
The marines’ priority task will be to perform land missions, typically of the surveillance and “search and retrieve” type. There are three teams (one of them added during the game) who will be transported to planets to execute these missions. At least some of the missions are streamed on a screen onboard the ship through headcams worn by some of the marines. Each team will have two to three missions during the larp.
Onboard Odysseus, the marines will have two major roles. They have acted as internal security since the declaration of the martial law and they are there to break up fights and to make sure that everyone follows orders, possibly causing conflicts between the military and the civilians. They are also the first and last line of defense in case the enemy should board the ship. The marines will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Engineers (Rental uniform required for most)
It is up to the engineers to fix everything that inevitably breaks up onboard Odysseus. This group is in charge of repairs and maintenance, which will make for a hectic schedule: be it an overheated hyperdrive, a gas leak, broken shield generators, jammed gun controllers, or fried scanners, the engineers will have to be there to save the day. There are only a few engineers assigned to the ship, but skilled civilian engineers will be recruited to help. Some of the engineers will thus be a part of the military organisation, while some are civilians.
Some maintenance tasks will need to be performed routinely throughout the larp, others will only become necessary under certain conditions. Maintenance work comes as different types of puzzles for the engineers, ranging from pulling two levers at the same time to setting calibration values to connecting wires. We will create mechanical things to fix, crawl spaces to crawl in, and brain teasers to solve. For the engineers, these will be the main content of their game, but like all characters, engineers will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Medics (Rental uniform required for most)
Medics will be doing their best to keep everyone fit and operational, patching up those who are injured in a fight or during land missions. They will also be performing routine medical check-ups and taking care of those passengers who have other conditions requiring medical attention.
There are two medics stationed on Odysseus, but considering the situation, all civilians with medical training have been drafted to help. Thus this group also includes characters who are not originally part of the military. The medbay needs to be manned around the clock, so medical personnel will also work in shifts.
We plan to make the healthcare feel as real as possible (involving lots of fake blood and various machines that give information on the patients’ health status). The medics will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Scientists (Optional rental uniform available)
There are several scientists onboard the Odysseus, since the ship’s latest mission was exploration involving scientific discovery. The scientists, in cooperation with representatives from both of the EOC and Velian religions, as well as in some cases the medical personnel, will be solving riddles discovered in beacons left behind by their ancestors, as well as the mysteries of the ancient alien race and the technology they left behind. It is also their job to study the enemy to find out its possible weaknesses. Some of them will also have personal experiments and projects going on.
The scientists are civilians and most of them are heavily involved with the Faith of the High Science, the main religion among the characters. Scientists do not have the same kind of strict shifts as the military personnel, but they, too, will need to take turns to be on duty as there might be a need to keep working around the clock. The scientists will also have personal plots and relationships to play on.
Velians (No rental uniforms – style guide for props provided)
Roughly fifteen passengers come from the planet Velian. They will start the larp in a different location with roughly the same number of players that come from the EOC Space station Atlantis. This group will spend the first hours of the larp solving problems of their own before being united with the rest of the players onboard Odysseus.
Velians, who lived in a domed city built by an ancient alien race on an otherwise uninhabitable planet, only recently came into contact with the EOC Nations. Ambassadors have been sent by both sides, but due to the distance interaction has been sparse. A common theory suggests Velians might originate from one of the Genesis ships that never made it to Ellarion. Velians have a very unique culture where they live in a strictly theocratic society and follow the teachings of their spiritual leader the Guardian.
The Velians' game focuses around their own culture and internal plots as well as getting accustomed to the other groups. They also have much to contribute to solving the riddles of ancient alien technology as well as the mystery concerning their shared ancestry with the EOC population. During the larp all Velian characters will be assigned to help out in one of the following groups: bridge crew, pilots, engineers, marines, medics, or scientists.
Civilians (No rental uniforms – style guide for props provided)
Civilians aboard the Odysseus come from different backgrounds varying from politics to religion and entertainment to more shady businesses. During the larp all civilian characters will be assigned to help out in one of the following groups: bridge crew, pilots, engineers, marines, medics, or scientists. It is up to the players to decide if they want to make themselves useful in learning the new skills associated with running a starship, or if they want to focus more on personal plots and other shenanigans.
There are various types of people among the civilians. Some are hard-working, honest people who only want to survive. For others, life has not been fair, and some have drifted into darker directions. The catastrophe, the loss of not only their loved ones but their entire civilization, might mean a full descent into darkness, but it might also be an opportunity for redemption, facing the mistakes of their past. A chance for a new life – or a chance to turn a profit from the misfortune of others.
For the survivors, the main themes will be survivors’ guilt, new beginnings, atonement, and choices on how to proceed in this new world. Political characters also have a large amount of political influence. They are in key positions to solve the potential conflicts arising between the civilians and the military during the larp, as well as deciding on how the human society should be built anew. Some of these characters have made their careers as politicians, others are just now rising to power after the catastrophe.