thewanderingwench - Tumblr blog

[thewanderingwench]

This week, Armistice Arcane players were given their character blurbs: brief descriptions of who they are and their role in their respective factions. I’ve been casted as Aisling Murphy, part of the newest generation of recruits to the Order of Cernunnos. Aisling hails from Philadelphia, but the discovery of magic within her at a young age led her to move to the mysterious Sanctuary to practice with the Order’s druids. 

Practicing magic with the druids and living in the Sanctuary was a dream come to for Aisling, until that dream turned into a nightmare with the arrival of the Secret War, a magical falling out fought between factions. The war claimed the lives of several friends, allies, and even family. 

While at the Sanctuary, Aisling discovered a rare Talent she possessed, known as dreamwalking. It made her invaluable to the Order, but it also made her dangerous, and so her abilities were kept a secret. All who knew of her abilities are dead, save for one of the Order’s most talented spies, Nora. 

Now, as the year of peace negotiated at the last armistice comes to an end, -Aisling works with Nora to save the Order from itself when self-destruction appears to loom on the horizon. 

I’m so excited to know more about my character, and even just that short blurb has been excellent for helping me narrow down some aesthetics. I’ll keep posting updates about my journey to Armistice Arcane as I make progress!

[thewanderingwench]

•°~Dungeon Master Aesthetic ~°•

[thewanderingwench]

Craving Adventure in Quarantine?

Finding excitement in our own homes gets tough after a while. With in-person events like cons, LARPs, and ttrpg sessions canceled, nerds everywhere are in need of a change of pace after months of isolation. Here are some resources to help satisfy your craving for adventure while staying safe!

Move Tabletop Gaming Online

I know this one is super obvious, but for those who may not be informed, there are resources available to help move your games from tabletop to laptop! Sites like D&D Beyond, Roll20, and Myth-Weavers are excellent tools to keep the adventuring going, even long distance. 

Get Into Streams and Podcasts 

Can’t go on a quest of your own? Check out gaming podcasts and livestreams to stay connected to the games you love and experience some awesome storytelling. Critical Role and The Adventure Zone are two of the most popular, but further exploration will provide you with a variety of media to keep you engrossed in the magic. 

Watch Someone Else’s Adventures

Missing the LARP and renaissance faire experience? There’s an entire YouTube community dedicated to documenting nerdy adventures. Content creators like Momo O’Briend, Kaza Marie, UhOhBurns, and several others make videos talking about their unique experiences at some of the world’s most popular LARP events. You’ll have an entire post-quarantine bucket list when you’re done watching! 

Start LARPing on TikTok

It’s a new craze that’s taken TikTok by storm; thousands of people have taken live action roleplaying online by creating videos that tell a collaborative story. By creating and cosplaying original characters for a variety of settings and hashtags, people have been able to turn the video-making app into a gaming ground. One of the most popular so far in 2020 is Asunderland, started by TikTok user and influencer, TheAzrai. You can get involved in this unique form of storytelling from the comfort of your home, and all you need to do it is a smartphone. 

[thewanderingwench]

Green and white, everywhere you can see, the pine forest so thick you cant tell if you are on the base or the near top of the hill, but it is at least, in its own right, serene.

Green heather, a handmade dice set

[thewanderingwench]

Inspiration from Breeedo

In the last decade, influencers have risen in popularity and number in almost every niche category one can think of. The term, “influencer” has become nearly synonymous with promoting brands and giving the masses a glimpse into a seemingly picturesque lifestyle, turning influence into income. 

Perhaps that’s why I was so drawn to Bree. An up-and-coming presence on the nerdier side of social media, Bree uses their platforms to influence audiences beyond brands. Under the pseudonym, breeedo, they create original content and advocate for people of color in LARP, cosplay, and gaming with unmatched passion. 

Bree started pursuing their nerdy interests in middle school, beginning with anime and manga. Out of the vast selection available at their school library, they were drawn to Naruto, and the rest was history. Their fascination with the fictional worlds of manga eventually branched out into video games, comics, and table-top roleplaying. 

Of the LARPs they have participated in, the one that was most unforgettable to them was Albion: School of Sorcery, hosted by Moonrise Larp Games at the beginning of this year. “I will always, ALWAYS hold that event close to my heart. Always.” 

Their favorite gaming system is a homebrewed, choice-based system that uses only a D20 to determine outcomes and a D6 to determine damage, as they are a fan of roleplay and the creation of an interesting narrative. 

“I love this system because I’m a huge buff for some good roleplay and a good plotline, so this gives us the opportunity to focus on that more so than stats.”

Of their characters, their favorite that they’ve created so far is a tiefling named Lancer, born of some impulse doodling that brought about inspiration. “He’s my chaotic boy that I’ve become so invested in as far as his backstory, what makes him tick, little details about him. I guess I’m proud of him because of how put together he is, and I can answer any questions that one might have about him.”

Even with a great narrative and interesting characters, they are a staunch believer that what truly makes a campaign great is effective communication. They have seen campaigns “crash and burn” due to a lack of it. 

“Every single detail that goes into each campaign should be discussed across the board (with the exception of spoilers and such). Safety mechanics should be set in stone, trigger warnings, alternatives for alternatives, discussions before AND after games, the list goes on. Having those conversations and communicating will save a game and only enhance the experience for the players and the GM.”

Bree is an active voice for people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as anyone can see from their social media. A member of these communities herself, Bree takes whatever opportunities are presented to make a difference and promote equality and fairness for all in the world of gaming, cosplay, and LARP. 

“It’s been hard. People don’t see you in these communities most of the time, and if they do, they want to glorify you or wave you around as a token for “diversity and inclusion.” That’s  why it’s so difficult to hold your own space as a person of color on the internet - you have so many people trying to take it from you or determine what you can and can’t do in these Communities,” she said. 

“Some wisdom that I’m also trying to teach myself is to speak louder than you think you already are. People of color that are in nerd culture are invalidated all the time, it makes us question ourselves, and it’s a huge wave of gaslighting that happens. Speak louder. Every single feeling that a person of color might have is COMPLETELY valid.”

Bree often speaks out on the fact that people of color and those who identify as LGBTQIA+ are often included in various media for nothing more than to earn praise for diversity, which leads them to be praised as assets rather than individuals.

“Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community has been a little more pleasant than the black part of myself because there are a lot of people that are in the community, so it’s like one big family most of the time. However, there are some moments where certain sexualities are thrown into games or campaigns to attract audiences which is not cool. It invalidates people’s lives and it always sends the wrong message - so it’s a struggle to deal with that. It’s distinctly different for me because I am an LGBTQIA+ person of color who is genderfluid, which is an entire can of worms that is too long to type out.”

Their fight for inclusive creative communities is with the goal to achieve artistic equality and a supportive environment. In their parting words to me, they wished for nothing more than support among creators as a foundation for the hobbies so many enjoy. 

“Support each other. Stop the competitiveness, and support each other. Stop the toxicity, and support each other. Stop the high school drama, and support each other. We are all artists with greater forces fighting against us, so it's counterintuitive having creators bashing and destroying other creators. Also, don’t bully others in communities like these. It doesn’t give you power, it’s the worst way to get validation, and it’s absolutely damaging to victims. Feel the need to be cruel to creators? Get out of the community.”

[thewanderingwench]

I got some photos back from one of my recent nerdy endeavors! This was my first professional photo shoot, and I’m absolutely thrilled with the results. Everyone involved totally knocked it out of the park!

I cosplayed Vex’ahlia from Critical Role to Katsucon 2020 with a full Vox Machina group, and it was such a wonderful experience. I’m missing everyone something terrible. Hopefully the photos I got back will help the quarantine blues!

[thewanderingwench]

Inspiration is hard lately so, I decided to make smth fun! Here’s a simple character prompt sheet made by me! All you need is some time and a D20. Tag me, if you make a character with this sheet, I’d looove to see the results!!

I rolled and here’s my result: A smug firbolg knight with an otherworldly guardian at his side!

[thewanderingwench]

In January of 2021, I’ll be packing my bags and heading to New Orleans for Armistice Arcane, a penny dreadful-inspired blockbuster LARP by Peculiar Crossroads Productions. 

The event was featured on BBC America’s “Top 10 Fan Experiences to Put on Your Bucket List” and has been frequented by popular LARP influencers such as Momo O’Brien and Kaza Marie. 

I was lucky enough to snag a spot in the Kingsford Chronicle chapter taking place next year. As I prepare for the event, I’ll be documenting my progress with updates on costumes, my character, and more. 

So far, I’ve received my faction casting. I’ll be playing the game as a member of the Order of Cernunnos, a mysterious, isolationist Druidic order originating in Pennsylvania. I haven’t received my character blurb yet, but am expecting to get it sometime within the next month. 

I can’t wait!

Curious about Armistice Arcane? Check out their website!

[thewanderingwench]

Crystal Caste - Jade Moonstone

[thewanderingwench]

My Lovely Interview with UhOhBurns

I’ve never given much thought to the matter, but it’s recently occurred to me that people nowadays don’t use the word “lovely” enough. There’s a whimsical property to it that I didn’t know I was missing until I spoke to Piper, known to her fans as UhOhBurns. 

The 24-year-old LARPer and cosplayer has a knack for using the underappreciated adjective, and her way with words doesn’t end there. I was fortunate enough to have Piper agree to provide a look into her life as an influential presence on the LARP and cosplay scene, and her answers were nothing short of insightful. 

Piper has been cosplaying since “before she knew what cosplay was”. She became familiar with the term around 2010 or 2011, but said she has been dressing up as characters her whole life. LARP found her later in life when she attended college, in the form of a campus group called Humans vs. Zombies. Though it was never properly dubbed a LARP, the game that included both students and teachers fit all the criteria for live action roleplaying. 

Much like her experience with cosplay, Piper didn’t know the activity she’d come to love had a proper name until she found YouTube videos and Tumblr posts about LARP. Rather than turning up her nose at a hobby with such nerdy repute, she dove into it with enthusiasm. 

“The reason I began to get so interested (in LARP) is because theatrical experiences are one of my passions,” she said. “I majored in theatre, so a chance to act and be active called to me.”

Needless to say, her love of LARP persisted after college. Her pursuits of her passion have led her to a wealth of  worlds, each with unique plots. What makes LARP an amazing hobby, in Piper’s eyes, is the theatrical elements, which she described as “hypnotic”.

“You can be the hero, the villain, the village person... and still have your moment. It isn’t like live plays where you may be limited in your performance due to a script, roles and lines. Your experience is your own. You make it what it is.” 

I was interested to know what Piper’s own experiences were. As a plus-size member of the LARP and cosplay communities and LARPer and cosplayer of color, I was intrigued by what she had to share. 

“My experience has been mostly positive,” she said, “However, like most of the world, sometimes games forget the intersectionality of human existence. I want to say to all marginalized bodies, continue to go to cons, larp and cosplay. Continue to take up space. We are needed.

We have opinions and ideas that must be treasured because they are great and bring change: necessary change. I have seen discrimmination, and gatekeeping in the community, but it is merely a reflection of the world, and the world is changing. 

I want everyone to realize that with any ugly that comes to the surface in these communities, a light shines through. Bringing darkness to the light helps us to protect ourselves and each other. It’s not that the entirety of these communities are toxic. No. It’s that we can now see clearly what is wrong, what is hurtful and what must change. Seeing the ugly may deter you, but know that seeing it simply means it’s being chased out! Keep chasing it out and stand strong together. 

You are welcome regardless of gender, disability, color, or religion. We need you. We need everyone who is good and true to continue to do what they love or to jump in, only then can we keep changing.” 

I was touched by the humanity with which she looked at such a fantastical pastime. Even through all the costumes, makeup, and improvisational acting, she exhibited the ability to reach past that and find the human heart of it. She showed an affinity for seeing the people inside the armor and the faces behind masks; people with insecurities and doubts that she, herself, is not without. 

“I think about my size and how it may affect how people see me before every game. Every. Game.” she said. 

“But, for the most part it has never been an issue besides some online bullying. I would like to let other plus size nerds know that they have a right to fun and adventure. Adventurers and players come in all shapes and sizes and anyone who has a problem with your size, small or big, does not have a claim to our community. I want the community to practice body positivity and love. Think about accessibility options more for our plus size and disabled friends. Think about others. Be kind.”

Piper has attended several large-scale events, but to date, her favorite LARPs have been boffer-style LARPs she’s done with her friends or attended at university. As far as her favorite character, “She hasn’t been created yet,” Piper said, “but I hope she’s coming.” 

Piper does, however, have a cosplay she’s most proud of. Her cosplay of Ursula from The Little Mermaid was a test of her skill and taught her a lot about crafting. She created a body of armor from EVA foam that, while imperfect, is something she takes pride in.   

She also takes pride in her friends, as she said one of her most unforgettable LARP moments was “being blasted out of the sky with magic during one game and as I died, I watched one single friend defeat all of my other pals in combat single handed. Epic.” 

Epic, indeed, and according to Piper, that level of badassery doesn’t have an age limit. 

“Being creative isn’t a competition,” she said in her parting words to me.  “Having fun doesn’t have to stop because your hair greys and your back hurts. You can make worlds in the comfort of your own home. Make those worlds, play the game and live. Be free.” 

How lovely.

[thewanderingwench]

Can we talk about how beautiful Broken Glass by Fortune Feyvours is? It's one of my favourite hand made sets, and even better, it's still in stock at Level Up Dice! 🥰🤤

[thewanderingwench]

🌊 Dice set + dice box | Round edged dice set | Sharp edged turquoise dice set 🌊

🌊 These are still uninked, the buyer chooses the ink color 🌊

[thewanderingwench]

[thewanderingwench]

Stuck at home? Here’s an isolation survival post:

(Everything here is free to use! Feel free to add on. Links were purposefully broken to avoid Tumblr’s spam prevention.)

Social:

discordapp.com/ - Like Skype but better, more accessible, smoother, and with more features. Call, play games, and chat with friends.

twitch.tv/ - Watch and chat with people doing everything from gaming to cooking to teaching.

Reading:

whichbook.net/ - helps you find what book to read

overdrive.com/ - Free audiobooks through your public library

standardebooks.org/ebooks/ - Free ebooks

rbdigital.com/ - Free audiobooks and ebooks through your public library

Movies:

www.kanopy.com/ - Free movies through your public library

www.ted.com/ - Watch lots of educational and inspiring talks

Hobbies:

join.skillshare.com/ - Learn how to do virtually anything with 2 free months of premium

scratch.mit.edu/ - Make a game or movie, super easy to use, good introductory programming “language”

gimp.org/downloads/ - Free photoshop-like program.

twinery.org/ - Make a text-based game

pixologic.com/sculptris/ - make 3D models

unity.com/ - Make a 3D game

yoyogames.com/gamemaker - make a 2D game

spotify.com/us/ - Listen to music

travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours - Museums with virtual tours

Dungeons and Dragons: (play over Discord!) (DM me if you want PDFs of the Handbooks)

probablybadrpgideas.tumblr.com/post/612459866001391616/basic-rules-for-dungeons-dragons-dungeons - The Basics

entertainment.howstuffworks.com/leisure/brain-games/beginners-guide-dungeons-and-dragons.htm - Learn to play

roll20.net/ - Make maps/play online

Video Games:

itch.io/ - play hundreds of games

freegameplanet.com/ - Even more free games!

dolphin-emu.org/ - Play Gamecube and Wii games

Phone Apps:

sourceforge.net/projects/gameboid/ - Play gameboy games

smartphones.gadgethacks.com/how-to/10-must-play-free-puzzle-games-for-iphone-android-0178848/ - list of puzzle games

Cooking:

fridgetotable.com/ - Input ingredients you have and get recipes you can make.

youtube.com/user/DepressionCooking - Learn how to cook with limited ingredients from a lovely old woman who lived during the Great Depression

butterwithasideofbread.com/homemade-bread/ - Make bread with yeast

letsdishrecipes.com/traditional-irish-soda-bread/ - Make bread without yeast

Other tips:

Take care of yourself (eat well, shower often, wear clean clothes, exercise, clean your space)

Talk with people

Do what makes you happy

Take time away from screens

Play – with your pets, your kids, your friends. Keep yourself active and busy and happy.

[thewanderingwench]

Hit or Miss: LARPing on TikTok

 Let’s face it: LARP is expensive. When all is said and done, between costuming, travel, and admission, the cost of a single event can add up to several hundred dollars. Because of this, LARP isn’t a particularly accessible hobby for those without the extra income or social media status to make it more affordable. 

In the face of this financial hurdle, a new phenomenon has emerged from creators on TikTok, a popular video app. Content creators have started their own LARPS, using TikTok as the platform. Participants from all over the world come together to tell unique stories through short videos of original characters. Doing so requires no admission or travel; all one needs is a costume and a phone to film with. 

One of the most popular is TikTok user, theazrai’s, Asunderland. It features a post-apocalyptic take on fairytale characters. 

Needless to say, the trend has spread like wildfire through the online LARP community. TikTok users across the globe are participating in preexisting games or creating games of their own. Without financial limitations, some LARPS have grown to have hundreds, or sometimes thousands, of players. While this makes for a diverse cast of characters and inclusive environment, it can also create a considerable amount of confusion, especially when creators try to run their plot on some semblance of a timeline.

Intrigued by the concept, I decided to join the Asunderland hype that was sweeping the TikTok LARP community. A friend and I chose to adapt the tale of Snow White and Rose Red for the tag, and it was hardly any time at all before we found ourselves a group within the thousands of people participating. 

Finding a smaller group of people was much more manageable for me than the ever-busy official discord server started by Azrai, which quickly became overwhelming. Even apart from the main chat, some aspects of Asunderland, particularly the need to create content within a given linear time frame, were somewhat difficult to keep up with. It became evident to me after joining Asunderland and a few smaller LARP tags that participating in them required those involved to budget time and adapt to plot decisions made by the creator(s) of the LARP. 

It goes without saying, as well, that a LARP available to such a vast number of people is going to inevitably come with some stepping on toes when it comes to character concepts, especially when the games themselves are based on preexisting fairy tales or are otherwise restricted by the amount of “canon” content. If you intend to participate in a large-scale game, do so with the knowledge that you undoubtedly will run into doubles, triples, or even quadruples of your chosen character or idea. Fortunately, most players have handled this with grace and peacefully coexist with their duplicates. 

Is TikTok LARP for you? It’s difficult to tell without giving it a try. While it is a relatively cheap alternative to pricey weekends in expensive venues, the stories are ongoing and will require weeks, or sometimes months, of involvement. It’s a chance to meet people all over the world and build a story with them, but this can also lead to extremely crowded tags and servers. 

If nothing else, TikTok LARP is a unique experience and an easily accessible creative outlet, and that’s something the world could always use more of.

[thewanderingwench]

Why You Maybe Shouldn’t Tell Someone They ‘Fit a Character’

To the surprise of nobody who knows me, I was quite involved in theater growing up. My first role was in the ensemble of The Music Man when I was nine years old. Though I had very little stage time, I was quick to decide that performing was my calling. Unfortunately, as quickly as I discovered my love of theater, I also discovered my disdain of typecasting. 

As a chubby kid and a plus-sized teen/young adult, I found that I was constantly being given two types of roles: the matron and the comic relief. Any hopes I had of playing characters outside of those categories were dashed in eighth grade when my choir teacher, who was also the musical director, e-mailed my mother and told her that despite my talent, I was simply too “mature-looking” for any of the available roles in Grease. A thirteen-year-old too mature to play an eighteen-year-old? Likely story. 

The pattern continued up through high school. Even with a voice good enough to land me an acceptance letter to a college vocal program, I was consistently cast as someone’s mother or the slapstick support. Perhaps that is why cosplay appealed to me as it did. 

I first got into cosplay in my sophomore year of high school. The idea of casting myself was exhilarating. No panel of judges would size me up and determine where I would best fit according to my appearance. The choice was mine, and the possibilities were endless. I could be anyone or anything. 

Fueled by my excitement, I went online and purchased my first cosplay. It was Ymir, from Attack on Titan. (I was young at the time and was entirely oblivious to the implications of the manga.) She was typically depicted as tall and thin, but standing 5’6” and chubby, I was absolutely over the moon in my new costume. From the moment I tried on the outfit and wig together, I was smitten with cosplay. I had found a new hobby.

Over the years, I have cosplayed a wide variety of characters, including Robin from Fire Emblem: Awakening, Alice Angel from Bendy and the Ink Machine, Yasha from Critical Role, and Soleil from Fire Emblem: Fates. I am currently working on Vex’ahlia from Critical Role and Morrigan from Dragon Age. Most of these are characters no one would ever allow me to play, which is what makes cosplay so liberating, and cosplay elitism so irritating. 

People often discourage others from venturing outside of their comfort zones for the sake of “accuracy,” shoehorning them into a handful of tropes due to race, gender, appearance, and several other factors. Some are outright rude about it, taking to social media or even having the gall to offer their “criticism” to one’s face. Others put people--perhaps even friends--into a box without even knowing it. 

Something as simple as recommending characters to a cosplayer could be construed as stereotyping. Suggesting that they substitute one cosplay for another because they “fit that character” more is discouraging, and it puts a limit on what one feels they can do. Of course, if a cosplayer asks for opinions, it is different, but offering unsolicited advice is, in most cases, unwelcome. 

For example, let’s say I wanted to cosplay Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Someone may think they are helping me by telling me to cosplay Ursula instead. After all, I’ve got the body for it. My takeaway from the interaction would be that I, despite the work I put into my costume, would never look quite right as Ariel. That perhaps I wasn’t meant to cosplay her. That I was wrong. 

But here’s the thing: there is no right way to do cosplay. It’s an art, a form of expression. The diversity of the community is what makes it unique. 

Keep in mind that some suggestions are more hurtful than they are helpful. It is not always about what is accurate, but rather, what makes an individual feel beautiful, powerful, and confident. 

[thewanderingwench]

free them