Code of conduct
The rules outlined in our code of conduct are to be followed by everyone during the entirety of the game, as well as in all communication in the social media channels of the game. These guidelines are there to help us create a good and safe game experience for all participants and organizers. Attendants and organizers are expected to follow the principles for safer larping outlined in the Safer larping package. We recommend that you read it carefully before the larp.
All participants and organizers are expected to behave respectfully and kindly towards each other, giving everyone the freedom to be themselves. Any manner of bullying, harassment, and discrimination will not be tolerated before, during, or after the game.
The ingame world in which our larp takes place contains major equality issues between members of different classes and social standings. However, discrimination and inequality based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation does not exist in the game world, and any bullying behavior based on them is forbidden.
Ingame bullying between characters must never be based on a player’s attributes, physical or otherwise. Characters can be bullied based on characters’ attributes, but never based on those derived from the player. Players are encouraged to talk with their co-players in advance to discuss appropriate ways to escalate conflicts in a manner that is safe for everybody involved.
The story of Odysseus is created as a collaboration between the organizers and the players. Inclusivity and play-to-lift are something we value. We wish that every participant can feel that they have made a difference to the story that we together bring to life. Players are encouraged to invite other characters in on plotlines and action by sharing tasks and delegating responsibility, as well as supporting the authority or expertise of other characters as befits the game world.
Our firm intention is to organize an event free of discrimination, and we try to be as sensitive and considerate as possible. Likewise, we want to be respectful in all of our communication. If you find something in our representation offensive, please contact us so we can do better.
All participants and organizers are expected to behave respectfully and kindly towards each other, giving everyone the freedom to be themselves. Any manner of bullying, harassment, and discrimination will not be tolerated before, during, or after the game.
- Respect everyone’s physical and emotional boundaries. Be polite to all participants and organizers
- Respect the pronouns and names of everyone
- No harassment or bullying of any kind will be tolerated
- We strongly believe that diversity enriches our collaboration and our games. We do not accept any discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual identities.
- Assume the best intentions behind others’ actions and words. Respect that people have different ways of operating and interpreting situations and experiences
- Welcome criticism and analyze your behavior when being called out on harmful comments or acts, mistakes, miscommunications and misunderstandings
The ingame world in which our larp takes place contains major equality issues between members of different classes and social standings. However, discrimination and inequality based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation does not exist in the game world, and any bullying behavior based on them is forbidden.
Ingame bullying between characters must never be based on a player’s attributes, physical or otherwise. Characters can be bullied based on characters’ attributes, but never based on those derived from the player. Players are encouraged to talk with their co-players in advance to discuss appropriate ways to escalate conflicts in a manner that is safe for everybody involved.
The story of Odysseus is created as a collaboration between the organizers and the players. Inclusivity and play-to-lift are something we value. We wish that every participant can feel that they have made a difference to the story that we together bring to life. Players are encouraged to invite other characters in on plotlines and action by sharing tasks and delegating responsibility, as well as supporting the authority or expertise of other characters as befits the game world.
Our firm intention is to organize an event free of discrimination, and we try to be as sensitive and considerate as possible. Likewise, we want to be respectful in all of our communication. If you find something in our representation offensive, please contact us so we can do better.
Age limit
The larp is not suitable for minors. All participants must be at least 18 years of age during the game. Players can however sign up for the event before having turned 18.
Rules on site
We have a lot of props and technology on location, and the venue is a building in active use, so we expect everyone to be careful with and respectful of the surroundings. Do not break anything you are not 100% certain you have been given permission to break. This also applies to all IT systems – please do not try to forcefully hack or exploit them.
Our location is a public school building, so alcohol is strictly forbidden on the premises. Do NOT bring any alcoholic drinks to the location. All ingame alcoholic substances will be non-alcoholic in real life / offgame.
Smoking and vaping is forbidden inside the school building. Smoking is allowed outside out of bounds of the school premises. All smoke breaks will be strictly offgame – you will not be allowed to play while outside.
Our location is a public school building, so alcohol is strictly forbidden on the premises. Do NOT bring any alcoholic drinks to the location. All ingame alcoholic substances will be non-alcoholic in real life / offgame.
Smoking and vaping is forbidden inside the school building. Smoking is allowed outside out of bounds of the school premises. All smoke breaks will be strictly offgame – you will not be allowed to play while outside.
Player safety team
We will have at least two offgame support people at your disposal before the game, during it, and for some days after the larp. The player safety team is there for everybody and for anything. For example, if there is an issue between players or with the organizers, if you feel not okay for any reason, or if you just need to talk to someone, you can contact the safety team at any time. The safety team can take action depending on what is needed. They will listen to you, help you, and when needed and asked, escalate your case to the organizers or offgame authorities (police, emergency services).
There will be an offgame room at the game site where you can retire should you need a breather.
There will be an offgame room at the game site where you can retire should you need a breather.
Calibration mechanics during the game
The cornerstone for player safety and participation at Odysseus is slow escalation and good communication to allow for everyone to opt-in or opt-out. When initiating scenes look for the “enthusiastic yes” from your co-players. If you are unsure of your co-player’s intention or response, we have several calibration mechanics in use that make it possible to discreetly ask for player consent. For any of these tools to work there must be a chance for players to react and use them – so build up to intense situations instead of going straight into the deep end.
Safeword “Cut”: Whenever somebody says “cut”, all roleplaying in the scene must stop immediately. Players who hear the safeword must assist in resolving the situation and if needed, fetch a member of our Player safety team to help. “Cut” can be used in situations of emergency – either in physical or psychological emergencies.
Safeword ”Break”: This safeword does not stop a scene and does not require for roleplay to stop. It signals that the current situation is going in a direction that the player who used the safeword is not comfortable with, and that a change of direction and/or reduction of the intensity of play is needed.
Look-down gesture: A player may at any time choose to opt out of any roleplay scene by using the look-down gesture, by shading their eyes with a hand and walking out of the scene. No player will be stopped or questioned when they opt out by using the look-down mechanic. The departure and absence of the character of the player who used the look-down gesture should be handled as not noteworthy by characters who are left in the scene.
“Offgame, are you alright?” or any similar phrase starting with “Offgame” can be used to make sure that a player is okay. If a player or organizer is for any reason worried about someone, in this way enquire after the wellbeing of the player. If the response is not a clear ”yes” in some form or another, the player is considered to not be okay and in need of assistance.
In addition to these calibration mechanics players can at any time have a brief off-game discussion to negotiate a scene or a new direction to a common plotline.
Touch and intimacy between characters
There is a lot of camaraderie and some romance among the characters who have ended up on ESS Odysseus. The baseline for touch between players is non-sexual and non-violent touching of arms and shoulders. Anyone can opt out of all touch with marker (armband, pin, or similar) that will be provided by the game runners.
Despite many plots and character connections around romance and love, Odysseus is not a game where intimate play is in a meaningful role. Thus, we do not have mechanics for playing on intimacy. If players choose to play out intimate scenes, they must negotiate boundaries between themselves.
Mechanics for combat and melee
All firearms will be propped with nerf guns provided by the game runners. No other firearm props are allowed at the venue. Knives and other melee weapons can be propped with latex weapons or similar safe semi-realistic replicas and the players themselves should bring them to the game.
Although the nerf darts are soft, for safety reasons it is forbidden to shoot at other people’s heads. Should there be a need to execute a character with a shot to the head, the shot will be simulated by shouting BANG! instead of firing the nerf gun.
All close combat melee fights between characters – player vs player or player vs NPC – should be acted out in theater style slow motion. For player vs NPC fights the preferred option is always using (nerf) guns. Fistfights and other melee fights between player characters should be preferably briefly negotiated off-game between the participating players.
Never surprise a player by attacking their character without a warning. Fights can be initiated by verbal threats, for example “Apologize, or I will hit you,” or having a brief off-game check with the other player to agree that they are okay with their character being assaulted in a few minutes.
Injury and character death
When a character gets hurt, it is always in the hands of that character’s player to decide how seriously they have been injured. So please be mindful and leave room for interpretation when playing the assailant. Never try to kill off another player’s character without their consent. This can seriously ruin someone’s game, and a random death is not an interesting game event.
If you wish for your character to die, it is advisable to take some time to do so, allowing for tearful goodbyes and desperate attempts to save your character’s life.
Important note: there are no back-up characters! If a character dies the player cannot continue the game with another character.
Safeword “Cut”: Whenever somebody says “cut”, all roleplaying in the scene must stop immediately. Players who hear the safeword must assist in resolving the situation and if needed, fetch a member of our Player safety team to help. “Cut” can be used in situations of emergency – either in physical or psychological emergencies.
Safeword ”Break”: This safeword does not stop a scene and does not require for roleplay to stop. It signals that the current situation is going in a direction that the player who used the safeword is not comfortable with, and that a change of direction and/or reduction of the intensity of play is needed.
Look-down gesture: A player may at any time choose to opt out of any roleplay scene by using the look-down gesture, by shading their eyes with a hand and walking out of the scene. No player will be stopped or questioned when they opt out by using the look-down mechanic. The departure and absence of the character of the player who used the look-down gesture should be handled as not noteworthy by characters who are left in the scene.
“Offgame, are you alright?” or any similar phrase starting with “Offgame” can be used to make sure that a player is okay. If a player or organizer is for any reason worried about someone, in this way enquire after the wellbeing of the player. If the response is not a clear ”yes” in some form or another, the player is considered to not be okay and in need of assistance.
In addition to these calibration mechanics players can at any time have a brief off-game discussion to negotiate a scene or a new direction to a common plotline.
Touch and intimacy between characters
There is a lot of camaraderie and some romance among the characters who have ended up on ESS Odysseus. The baseline for touch between players is non-sexual and non-violent touching of arms and shoulders. Anyone can opt out of all touch with marker (armband, pin, or similar) that will be provided by the game runners.
Despite many plots and character connections around romance and love, Odysseus is not a game where intimate play is in a meaningful role. Thus, we do not have mechanics for playing on intimacy. If players choose to play out intimate scenes, they must negotiate boundaries between themselves.
Mechanics for combat and melee
All firearms will be propped with nerf guns provided by the game runners. No other firearm props are allowed at the venue. Knives and other melee weapons can be propped with latex weapons or similar safe semi-realistic replicas and the players themselves should bring them to the game.
Although the nerf darts are soft, for safety reasons it is forbidden to shoot at other people’s heads. Should there be a need to execute a character with a shot to the head, the shot will be simulated by shouting BANG! instead of firing the nerf gun.
All close combat melee fights between characters – player vs player or player vs NPC – should be acted out in theater style slow motion. For player vs NPC fights the preferred option is always using (nerf) guns. Fistfights and other melee fights between player characters should be preferably briefly negotiated off-game between the participating players.
Never surprise a player by attacking their character without a warning. Fights can be initiated by verbal threats, for example “Apologize, or I will hit you,” or having a brief off-game check with the other player to agree that they are okay with their character being assaulted in a few minutes.
Injury and character death
When a character gets hurt, it is always in the hands of that character’s player to decide how seriously they have been injured. So please be mindful and leave room for interpretation when playing the assailant. Never try to kill off another player’s character without their consent. This can seriously ruin someone’s game, and a random death is not an interesting game event.
If you wish for your character to die, it is advisable to take some time to do so, allowing for tearful goodbyes and desperate attempts to save your character’s life.
Important note: there are no back-up characters! If a character dies the player cannot continue the game with another character.