Dragonbane
Encyclopedia
Dragonbane was a large international live action roleplaying game (LARP) project. The game itself took place from July 27th to August 4th, 2006 in Älvdalen
in Sweden
, close to the border of Norway
. There were 325 players from several different countries. While there was little media coverage in other countries, it received the attention of Scandinavian newspapers and gaming publications.
's game Myrskyn aika (Age of the Storm). The setting mixed influences from the late Iron Age
and the Middle Ages
. The game aimed for total immersion and there was no out-of-character area.
s. Most of the funding came from dozens of corporate sponsors, including several major corporations, such as Hewlett-Packard
. An entire village was built for the game, as was a large electromechanical dragon
.
was postponed and moved to Sweden. Less than a third of the 1000 player spaces were filled. But still the project went ahead, and after several preliminary events (to help build the site and establish characters) the 5-day game was run.
Several last-minute technical problems restricted the mobility and articulation of the dragon. Some of the camping areas (outside the village) were reported as inadequately provisioned.
Player response to the event was mixed, dwelling both on the high standards of immersive environment and on the technical and organisational flaws.
The game was billed as a single event, and as yet no plans have been announced for sequel events.
Älvdalen
Älvdalen is a locality and the seat of Älvdalen Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 1,812 inhabitants in 2005....
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, close to the border of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. There were 325 players from several different countries. While there was little media coverage in other countries, it received the attention of Scandinavian newspapers and gaming publications.
The game
The game events took place in the fictional village of Cinderhill. The game setting was based on the world of Valenor, from Mike PohjolaMike Pohjola
Mikko "Mike" Pohjola is a Finnish poet, playwright, author, politician and roleplaying game designer. He is the author of Myrskyn aika, Star Wreck Roleplaying Game, Tähti and Kadonneet kyyneleet....
's game Myrskyn aika (Age of the Storm). The setting mixed influences from the late Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The game aimed for total immersion and there was no out-of-character area.
Organisation and arrangements
Dragonbane was an unusually large LARP project with a budget approaching 1 million euroEuro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s. Most of the funding came from dozens of corporate sponsors, including several major corporations, such as Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
. An entire village was built for the game, as was a large electromechanical dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
.
Outcome
The Dragonbane project was one of the most ambitious projects in the history of LARP, and some critics expected it would never run. The originally advertised event in EstoniaEstonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
was postponed and moved to Sweden. Less than a third of the 1000 player spaces were filled. But still the project went ahead, and after several preliminary events (to help build the site and establish characters) the 5-day game was run.
Several last-minute technical problems restricted the mobility and articulation of the dragon. Some of the camping areas (outside the village) were reported as inadequately provisioned.
Player response to the event was mixed, dwelling both on the high standards of immersive environment and on the technical and organisational flaws.
The game was billed as a single event, and as yet no plans have been announced for sequel events.
External links
- Dragonbane website
- Dragonbane - The Legacy - an evaluation report on the project (10MB PDF)