After the delights of the demonstration by the King’s Falconer, where everyone got to fly a Harris Hawk to the glove they were wearing(!!!), the mystery began to unfold…
Bad things were afoot. The land was sick and Stryder was missing. One lady shared her grievous story of her dog being turned to bones. Another told of her garden drying up and turning to dust before her very eyes.
In this midst of this commotion, a new comer to town, Mr. DuPont, said if we got him certain items, he could counteract the sickness that was attacking the land, so we went a questing and a fighting to find and retrieve the necessary items. There was a massive fight for a glowing treasure chest. There was an encounter that required bargaining with a two-headed giant that was constantly arguing with himself. There was a fairy in distress that needed helped. And finally, there was an encounter with a wicked and blind old spider who was living in his web and eating our townsfolk.
When the items were finally collected and turned over to Mr. DuPont, we learned that he was evil! In fact, while questing, through some sort of force or trickery, some of our town folk were coerced into joining Mr. DuPont’s secret society. He had control over them through the wooden pendants he placed around their necks.
Mr. DuPont had it in for Falton because he held our town, and Stryder in particular, responsible for the death of Woodren, his younger sister, whom the Roamans stoned. He had Stryder held captive, and he was going to use the items to conjure a poison that would wipe out the land – from which he intended to grow a new and better society. Using the threat of Stryder’s death, Mr. DuPont escaped to his hideout to concoct his final round of poison with the items that were collected.
In the midst of the clamor about our predicament, a young alchemist stepped up and offered her services in finding a real cure for the poison in the land and suggested they reconvene in the morning to see what can be done to right the wrongs, rescue Stryder, and rid themselves of Mr. DuPont.
At this point a glowing fairy shows up beckoning the weary, distraught townsfolk to come to Fairy Village, which is untouched by the foul curse, and to receive the beneficence of Queen Anne. There the townsfolk enjoy the pure magic of Fairy Village, a feast, a tribal dance, and much merriment.
The next day the young alchemist offered that she had pondered and poured over long forgotten lore all night long and found the solution to counteract the poison in the land. The towns people will need to work together to find the items to create the antidote to the poison. She identified the items and the town’s people were once again sent out into the fields to find and earn (through a variety of “quests”) the necessary items.
Once the items were located, the young alchemist used the items to fashion a cure. And just in time! For as she completed her task and green returns to the land, Mr. DuPont appeared with his band of secret society members, forcing Stryder along at sword-point. He was intent on finalizing his goal of permanently cursing the land and killing Stryder before the very eyes of the entire Falton citizenry.
Realizing that it is now or never, the Faltonians rushed the mad alchemist. A great battle ensued between the extraordinarily powerful members of Mr. DuPont’s band, and the stalwart citizens of Falton.
In the end the townspeople succeeded in killing Mr. DuPont, freeing the secret society members from his spell, and rescuing Stryder. Stryder had the pleasure of the final blow by impaling Mr. DuPont with the colorful sword of Cascade, which she shared with him to assist in his escape.
In the celebration which followed, those formerly controlled by Mr. DuPont ceremoniously dropped their necklaces in the fire where they turned to ash, the final remnants of Mr. DuPont’s reign of terror dissolved into history.
This was followed by food, merriment, dance, games, and treasure hunts. And finally, by laying in the shade on the grass recounting stories of the delights of the days.
Much thanks to Mr. Dupont, the young alchemist, Cecil and Imogen, the wenches of the Salty Broth Inn, Ezekiel and Ginger Bread, Ansley (the Dark), the keepers of the Lonely Rode Tavern, the multiple other planners and helpers, and the hub of the entire event — Mrs. Fitz. This was a LARP that will be long remembered!
Monsieur Layabout — Stryder’s work-shy brother (who had the most fun at a LARP EVER!!! THANK YOU!)
In the eloquent words of Henson, “Merrh.”
Which is “Huzzah!” in Eurasian Eagle Owl speak.