Safety

LARP is a game which involves some risk. Therefore this chapter is the most important chapter in this document, because in this chapter the rules regarding safety are documented. If you violate one of these rules, you can - and will - be taken out of the game and sent home. Do not risk your own health or the health of other players for any reason.

Safety Calls

There are two calls that anyone can make during any game. These calls are

Man down and No play and can be called whenever safety reasons require it.

Man down!

You must call Man down! if you or another player require immediate medical attention. When this happens the game is stopped so that medical personnel can attend the injured player. If you are near the injured player you should keep shouting Man down! and wave your arm until medical personnel knows where to go.

If you hear somebody call Man down! you should stop playing and sit down. You are only allowed to move if you are in the way of medical personnel. Only after medical personnel have given the 'all clear' will the game resume.

No Play

No Play should be called when a player has trouble coping with the mental or emotional stress of the game. LARP events can be tough on a person. Your character is likely to go through stressful experiences which can effect a player personally. If a player calls No play this means they are out of character and require some space. You may continue the game without this character, or pause the game temporarily.

Combat Safety

Combat is an important part of many LARP events. Because it is such an important part, it is important to know the following rules, for the safety of everyone.

The most important rule when dealing with LARP weapons and combat is to never stab with these weapons. LARP weapons contain a fibre core which will break out and hurt people. For the same reason, do not place your LARP weapon on its tip. Avoid hitting a person's head, neck, groin or breasts, these areas are sensitive and people dislike being hit there. Note that if you duck suddenly or move unexpectedly during combat, you risk getting hit on one of these locations yourself.

Take care not to force your opponent into difficult terrain. Warn him if he is about to run into trees, camp fires or other obstacles. Do not use effects that force people to act in a certain way. Instead, wait until you have cleared the obstacles and continue fighting.

You should not put your full force behind your swings. Instead, swing like you would normally but just before hitting your opponent slow down your swing, such that it becomes a light tap. You will not do more damage if you hit harder, instead you will be hurting people. When you hit, or if your weapon is blocked in some way, pull back your weapon as soon as possible. When LARP weapons keep touching each other, it will tear the latex due to friction.

Great weapons and pole weapons should always be held with two hands while fighting. Also, pole weapons may not be held with both hands at an end. Throwing weapons should not be thrown in an arc over people or objects, as you are very likely to hit heads and have no direct control over how the projectile lands. You are not allowed to hit enemies with a shield but you are allowed to block enemies with your shield by placing your shield against them. If you are using a blowgun, you are not allowed to use it while within two metres of an opponent.

Bows may only be fired by people that have a licence to do so. These licences can be obtained on every event by completing a small test. Ask the DM's for more information. You are not allowed to use a bow while within two metres of an opponent.

Out-of-character people or people wearing red-white lint may never be attacked with larp weapons.

Equipment Safety

All equipment must be inspected prior to the game. All equipment which is deemed unsafe will be taken by the game masters. You will get them back after the game. You will only receive item cards for equipment that has been inspected. Any equipment that does not have an item card is not allowed to be used in the game. For more information see Chapter 8.

One last important rule to consider is that if the game master checking your equipment does not consider this equipment to be safe, you are not allowed to use it. This it not negotiable.

The following requirements will be tested for:

Weapons

• Weapons should have a single-piece glass-fibre core.
• Every part of the core should be covered in at least half a centimetre of soft foam. Exception for the part used to hold the weapon.
• The foam should be attached tightly to the core.
• All parts of the weapon not directly connected to the core, should be flexible enough to contract and compress.
• Weapons should not bend or create a whip-like motion.
• The entire weapon should be covered by a layer of latex, except for the parts that are used to holding the weapon, which can be covered by leather or a similar material.
• A few small holes in the latex of up to one centimetre in diameter will be accepted, though they should be fixed as soon as possible.
• Throwing weapons should not have a core. However. it is allowed to slightly weigh them using leather.

Bows

• Only 30-pound bows or lower may be used.
• Only flat headed LARP arrows may be used.

Shields

• Shields should consist of a relatively hard grip attached to a core of harder material and padded with foam.
• The foam should be covered by latex, similar to weapons.
• At least all of the front surface of the shield should be covered with half a centimetre of foam, with about a centimetre of additional foam around the edges.
  Note that this means that shields made out of a single piece of hard material (like wood) with soft foam around the edges are not allowed on Heimr events.
• Shields should be able to bend slightly, but not enough to create a whip-like motion.

Armour and Clothing

• Try to avoid wearing armour and clothing that easily strangles people. For example, try to avoid overly long or wide sleeves.
• Spikes and other dangerous protrusions should be made from foam and covered by latex. The rules for throwing weapons apply to these protrusions.

Note that this applies primarily to custom made equipment. Most forms of normal armour do not feature large enough protrusions to become dangerous.

Physical Contact

LARP involves physically interacting with other players. It is important that players respect each other's private space. Therefore only light physical contact is allowed without consent. (for example: touching a shoulder, shaking a hand) If you are unsure the other person minds physical contact, refrain from it. Be careful when pushing or pulling people as this may lead to people falling over.

Anything else is only allowed with consent of the other person. Remember that consent given in one situation is not consent given forever, unless a person explicitly tells you that physical contact is alright for the duration of an event or longer.