Racine, WI.
Run 1 - July 11-13, 2025.
Run 2 - July 14-16, 2025.

Helicon

A larp by Maria Pettersson & Katrine Wind.

PRACTICAL DETAILS

When and where

Provided we get enough signups, we will have two consecutive runs of the larp. The dates will be Friday July 11 to Sunday July 13, 2024 and Monday July 14 to Wednesday July 16. We know run 2 falls during weekdays, but as we are flying the creators over, having conscutive runs are necessary.
The larp will take place at the DeKoven Center in Racine, WI which is a former college from the 1860s. We have use of their main 4 story hall with plenty of period appropriate space, as well as rooms for lodging on site. Lodging will happen in double rooms with either queen or single beds. During signup it will be possible to give us input on your sleeping preferences, but it is intended that you'll likely room with your in-game partner, however we can accomodate other setups.
Both Chicago and Milwuakee are nearby airports, and there should be regular shuttle services to Racine from both airports.

The larp will be an intimate event with only 29 players and around 5 staff.

A detailed schedule will be released closer to the event, but the venue will open Thursday / Sunday afternoon and the day will be dedicated to check-in, getting to know each other, and soft workshops. The event will start in earnest on Friday / Monday with indepth briefing and workshops run by Katrine and Maria. The game will begin early Friday / Monday afternoon with play the rest of the day. Saturday / Tuesday morning game will resume after brekafast, and we will likely play until 11 pm that evening. Once the game is complete Saturday / Tuesday evening, we will gather in the bar for an after party.

Signing up with a partner

For this larp you can either sign up with one or more partners, or alone.
Individuals signing up without a partner are also very welcome at Helicon. In that case we will ask you to indicate if you prefer to be cast as the Muse or Inspired, and we will look at your desires for play and try and match you with a suitable partner.

Please note that due to the lottery we cannot guarantee if both you and your partner will be drawn, and in the signup we will ask if you are interested in attending even if your partner does not get in.

Cost

The cost for the whole event will be 880 USD plus taxes (about 73 USD) per person, and will cover the full participation, 3 nights lodging Thursday / Sunday through Sunday / Wedneday, food (3 meals per day), characters, and everything else mentioned below and on the website. Sponsored tickets will be 680 USD plus taxes per person. We will offer as many Sponsored tickets as we have patrons to cover.
For those assigned a spot, the initial non-refundable downpayment will be due shortly after you are offered a spot. Your ticket is not guaranteed until the deposit is received

We will offer payment plans, with payments split over 4 payments - a deposit and three following ones.

In the price you get:

  • Participation in a nordic style, low mechanics larp focused on drama and strong interpersonal connections. With the original creators present.

  • 4 day event. Social time on arrival day, briefing, extensive workshops and game day 2, game all day third day, last day pack-up and leave.

  • All meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner with snack, coffee and tea service.

  • 3 nights lodging included as well as linens and towels. Sleeping will be in double rooms.

  • Full character similar the European runs.

  • Safety and calibration system based on the slow escalation and tap-out mechanics.

  • Pictures from the game taken by Kai Simon Fredriksen.

Refund policy. The 220 USD downpayment is non-refundable. Cancelations 150 days before the event will be fully refunded. Within 150-90 days of the event, the refunded is 50% if we can find someone to buy your tickets. Cancelations less than 90 days before the event will not be refunded.

VENUE, FOOD, AND LODGING

The venue will be Taylor Hall at the DeKoven center, an 11 acre, 4 story house. We will have the downstairs as dedicated playspace, offgame areas in the basement and sleeping on the top floors. Since this is an old school, bathrooms and showers are communal and located in the hallways and shared between rooms.

Ingame, the larp takes place in a mansion called Helicon, in a remote place somewhere in rural Wales. Participants will be lodged in double rooms, either with two single beds or one queen. On the signup form you'll be able to give us more details about your sleeping needs and preferences. We aim to pair up people who already know each other for all sleeping arrangements, but you may be roomed with someone you do not know of the same gender as you, or likely your ingame play partner. All linens and towels will be included, and you will not need to bring additional items.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be included in the event, and we will be able to handle allergies and dietary restrictions. We've not finalized mealplans yet, but food will be good and simple fitting the theme of the retreat. Snacks, coffee, water, and similar will be available throughout the event.

Small amounts of alcohol will likely be part of some of the dinners, but only in measured amounts. We will not tolerate intoxicated players. Recreational drugs are not legal in Wisconsin, and will not be allowed at the event in any form. We will have a bar for the afterparty, and the site does not allow BYOB.

image
image
image
image
image
image

ACCESSIBILITY

At Journeys & Tales we aim to accomodate the various accessibilities needs our participants may have. And we also acknowledge that we cannot have a solution for everything. We generally believe and find that disabled people know their own situations, and the requirements they need the best, so we encourage you to start a conversation with us regarding your specifics needs and accomodations, and we will do our best to see if we can handle them at this event.

The site is ADA compliant, and we should be able to accomodate other mobility issues, but drop us a note if you want to discuss your specific situation.
We can handle most dietary needs and restrictions, and you'll be able to detail these further on the signup form.

PHOTOGRAPHY

For both runs of Helicon we are fortunate the have Kai Simon Fredriksen join us. During the larp Kai will give a better introduction to this approach to photography, but he has shared the following guiding principles: "Being that the photographer is there for you -as players, trying to capture some of that magic we create when engaging in roleplay. As I am both a larper and a photographer, I know that being invited in to take photos is being offered trust by you as a player; know that I respect and appreciate that offer of trust.

What this means in practical terms for you as a player:
You can always invite me into a scene or send me away from a scene. Know that I will always be grateful for either. If a scene requires calibration, please include me as a photographer in the calibration if you want it documented. This will build safety and trust for all parties. Any such invitation must come from you as a player; I, as a photographer, will not initiate it.

When the photos are ready, there will be a review period. During this period, you can ask for any picture of you to be removed; no explanation is required.

At the larp, there will be a quick introduction and briefing, in which you will get more information on the approach to photography and the practical details and have a chance to ask questions.

THE DESIGNERS

Katrine Wind

Katrine Wind has a background in management positions in the analysis business, being a political scientist.
She is the main designer behind Spoils of War and Daemon.
Her focus as a larp designer and game-master the last 15 years has mostly been on interpersonal drama and relations, deep world building and management of crew.

THE DESIGNERS

Maria Pettersson

Maria Pettersson is a journalist, best selling author and a larp designer.
Her works include larps like Halat hisar, Parliament of Shadows, Redemption, and Allegiance.
In her larps she concentrates on deep character relations and clever world design. Many of her works feature magical realism.

THE PRODUCERS

Journeys & Tales

Journeys & Tales is a larp production company created to facilitate Nordic Style larps run in the US. We strive to create events with with a keen emphasis on adventure, excitement, and commitment, all of which are outlined in our Vision Statement.

J&T primarily consist of the husband and wife team of Meredith and Christian, but regularly bring in various staff, helpers, and creative consultants in both the idea generation, design, and execution phase of our events. We have earlier produced Katrine Wind's larp "Daemon" in Austin, TX and have run the larps Fatal Bonds, Hartwood, and Seraph as our own events.
Read more about us on the about section of our website.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Kai Simon Fredriksen

We are delighted that we will have Kai Simon Fredriksen join us as the photographer for both runs of Helicon. Kai is one of the most prolific larp photographers out there, and he has both played and photographed previous runs

Kai has been taking photos from larps for over 10 years, and has one of the best eyes for capturing a shot and a scene out there. He is incredibly focused on capturing good memories, and making his subjects feel beautiful and seen in his portraits.