For whom is this LARP?
You want to:
👍 play a character who is a member of a Sabbat,
👍 play personal stories and discover criminal mysteries,
👍 create amazing costume and makeup,
👍 experience an interesting adventure with various feelings such as fear, sadness, amusement, tension and others,
👍 meet new, interesting people from all over Poland and even the world,
👍 live in the palace for 3 days,
👍 discover a new passion that can turn your life upside down.
Cursed, hated, following their own path.
The Sabbat is coming - the timid whispers of their enemies satiate their egos with pride.
Masquerade? They don't have time to play dress-up like this, why should they be ashamed of their appearance?
People? Funny, insignificant creatures, blood banks, and clumsy toys.
Only the Sabbat counts.
All that matters is their greatest mission - fighting the Antediluvians. Gehenna is already underway, but few believe in it.
Feel the drill? 👇
We invite you to the Esbat - a 3-day live-action game in a dark world where Sabbat leads their plans.
The game is also focused on developing your character's identity and building the community your character belongs to.
We want to divide our story into 3 episodes, each of which will be a closed whole so that you can join it at any time.
Date: 9-12/01/2025 PL edition
16-19/01/2025 ENG edition
Location: Bałoszyce Palace, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship
Price: from 621 Euro - standard
from 565 Euro - early birds
10% discount for boundle with Evermist Society
(you can pay in installments)
(Tickets available at: www.kikimoraproduction.com
Sale dates: 25/03 -31/07 2024
Number of players: 40 - 64
It is possible to pay in installments, it is:
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20% of the ticket price - until the 10th day from the date of ticket purchase on the website
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40% of the ticket price - up to 6 months before the events
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40% of the ticket price - up to 3 months before the events
Triggers:
Violence, blood, discrimination, macabra, death, peopleHunting, bloodDrinking, corpse, tortures, macabreScenography, horror, beast, addictions, slavery..
*We do not plan BDSM or sexual abuse themes and ask you not to include them in the plot of the game
Portions of the materials are the copyrights and trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB, and are used with permission. All rights reserved. For more information please visit worldofdarkness.com.
All material is not official World of Darkness material.
In the name of this mission, one of their Archbishops sacrificed so much. It was worth it... everyone wants to hear about the clue they found, after all they will be closer to fulfilling their calling!
It is also time to decide how to take revenge on the Camarilla, which recently dealt a bitter blow to their territories. Fools, they cannot imagine the revenge that will befall them.
A War Council has been convened in the Archbishop's palace, during which decisions and orders will be issued regarding the fight against the Antediluvians and revenge against the Camarilla.
Packs will gather to take part in Vaulderie, war rituals, and see an "art" exhibition.
Sabbat is famous for its loyalty to the entire group, but what if vampires who are entangled in intrigues and fights for power meet? Will the new Transformed Ones, who will receive the honor of the Ritual of Creation, calm down the nervous mood or destroy the established alliances?
✨3 nights in the hotel
✨full board: 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners, and a coffee corner
✨ character sheet with described relations with others
✨ participation in some performances (shh you will get to know more later;))
✨ practical classes conducted by specialists in their fields
✨ a cast of actors who will support you to have fun during the game
✨ access to most of the palace and palace park
✨ beautiful photos (including the opportunity to make portraits)
✨ amazing adventure and lots of wonderful memories!
✅ Buy a ticket
✅ Send Player's questionnaire
✅ Read Character Sheet
✅Based on Character's Sheet try to feel your character - what he/she likes, what he/she is dreaming about, maybe he/she has something characteristic - likes big earrings/listening some specific music band?
✅ Read how to play LARP safely.
✅ Pack up and come to the event venue.
✅ Take part in workshops.
✅ Have fun! 😁
Player's questionnaire
It's a form which you get some time after buying a ticket. It includes questions about:
❔ Who do you want to be in the room with?
❔ Do you have any injuries/illnesses we should be aware of?
❔ Do you have any diet/food allergies?
❔ Are there any topics/plots that you don't want in your Character's Sheet?
❔What are 4 archetypes you would like to play? (from the archetypes lists which will be published)
❔ What plots do you want to play?
❔ What clan do you want to play?
Character's Sheet
Each player will receive their own character's sheet, which will be built on the player's preferences chosen in the player's questionnaire.
The sheet will include points such as:
👉 personal information (name, surname, age, clan, Transformation data),
👉 relationship (the relationships the character starts the game with),
👉 timeline of the character's life (what important events the character experienced and when),
👉 story (the story of the character's life).
Costumes 👨🚀
We encourage you to create costumes that best represent your clan.
Before the game, you will be able to use the additional paid Costume buddy service, which will help you choose a costume.
If enough people are willing, a dedicated person will also be available during the game for their make-up - also for an additional fee.
Workshops
At the very beginning of the game, each player is obliged to take part in workshops that cover the following topics:
🔷 How to play this game safely (mechanics)
🔷 What are the rules for LARP?
🔷 Introduction to the history of the world and game design.
Vampire Masquerade: Esbat happens in Bałoszyce Palace. Which is a beautiful, historic building with breathtaking interiors and a fully furnished and equipped hotel. Each player will sleep in a 2, 3, 4, or 5-person room with a separate bathroom. The palace includes a park, and an old palace, where the game's action will also take place (but only in specific events, there will be underlined in the LARP agenda) .
Meals will take place in the hotel restaurant, we provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner. People who have special diets and/or food intolerances should report this on the player form.
We will organize bus transport from/to Gdańsk - additional cost🚐
The game tells the story of the packs meeting in a special meeting called by the archbishop. Nobody knows what attractions and meetings await them during these 3 days.
Thursday
14 - check-in
16:30 - workshops and introduction to the game
19:00 - offgame dinner in the packs (to get know each other)
20:00 - start of the game
after 1:00 - no events affecting the main plot of the game will take place
Friday
10:00 - 11:00 offgame breakfast
11:30 - start of the game
14:00 - offgame lunch
19:00 - offgame dinner
after 01:00 - no events affecting the main plot of the game will take place
Saturday
10:00 - 11:00 offgame breakfast
11:30 - start of the game
14:00 - offgame lunch
20: 00 - 21:00 - end of the game
21:30 - debrief
22:00 - dinner
23:00 - after party
Sunday
9:00 - breakfast
11:00 - hotel checkout
The characters are vampires from different clans who group into packs. The event also includes figures of people who were captured to undergo the Ritual of Creation and join a given pack.
A pack - is a group of vampires, connected together through group Blood Bonds and a common goal. Its structure most often includes a Priest - who leads rituals and a Ductus - a leader who rules the pack.
On the game:
During the game, your characters will also belong to a pack. However, your packs will not look like a typical pack containing a Priest and Ductus - why? You will receive information about this in your character sheets
Throughout the game, packs will also include human characters who have been brought to the meeting to undergo the Ritual of Creation.
The characters meet at a crucial meeting for the Sabbat, each of them wants to show their uniqueness through a shocking appearance. We encourage players to use strong make-up and makeup.
In the form you will find links to character archetypes, we will ask you to choose 3 of them that suit you best.
Additionally, you can come up with your own character, but please contact us quickly (info@kikimoraproduction.com) to check if your concept can fit the game. Invented characters should fit into the framework:
either a human who is to be transformed in the game / a vampire (low or middle class, we do not accept characters with powerful statuses or powers).
Additionally, we will ask you to indicate the clan you would like to play. Clans available in the game are:
Lasombra
One of the main clans of the Sabbat. They are known manipulators and radicals.
Appearance: prefer black color. They often look as if they were dressed for a funeral - veils and dark glasses (they sometimes wear them, although they have no practical use). Nowadays, painting nails (black) has become popular among both women and men. To emphasize their clan affiliation, their costumes feature crowns.
Tzimisce
One of the main clans of the Sabbat. Extremely cruel, but also educated, their specialty is occultism. They are also characterized by honor, and it is also known that they have limited contact with a certain organization of wizards.
Appearance: They dress very old-fashioned. To emphasize their clan affiliation, they have terrible distortions such as: a gouged eye, meter-long fingernails, and even two heads - they love shapes. They often have horns that fit their nickname "Devils".
Assamite Antitribu
They are characterized by seriousness and emotional coldness, some could describe them as "gloomy". Their approach often works well during missions assigned to the Black Hand, to which many of them belong. They do not have the Tremere Curse and do not usually come from eastern lands like their Camarilla counterpart.
Appearance: they dress so as not to restrict their movements and quickly go into battle. Wanting to emphasize their clan affiliation, they often look like warriors.
Malkavians Antitribu
They have extraordinary intuition when it comes to learning the secrets of the Sabbat and the Camarilia. The Sabbat leaders are constantly watching them to keep them under control. Many consider them crazy because their behavior is unpredictable and surprising.
Appearance: wanting to emphasize their clan affiliation, their outfits often emphasize broken mirrors or a jester motif. Their appearance is bizarre, even extreme.
Nosferatu Antitribu
They are the few who maintain contacts with their counterpart in the Camarilia families, which often makes them excellent spies. They hate beauty, especially beautiful people, whom they delight in recruiting into their ranks and looking at their ugliness after transformation.
Appearance: to emphasize their clan affiliation, they often have pointed ears and pale faces. More than repulsive, their appearance is simply ugly.
Toreador Antitribu
One of the most eccentric clans, with a passion for art - the more macabre.
Appearance: decadent, dressed in artistic and extravagant clothes. Wanting to emphasize their clan affiliation, they often feature the motif of thorns and symbols of a rose covered in blood.
Tremere Antitribu
Members of this clan have developed paths and rituals of Thaumaturgy that are different from their Camarilia counterparts. They are not trusted very much by the Sabbat. They are cursed by their clan.
Appearance: they are characterized by aesthetics, they often have long hair. Wanting to emphasize their clan affiliation, they often display a large number of magical symbols and protective signs.
Gangrel Antitribu
They are very close to their Beast, often losing themselves in its madness. It is closer to their nature to stay in the middle of nowhere.
Appearance: They are heavily distorted by the Transformation discipline. They usually carry silver swords against werewolves. To emphasize clan affiliation, they have many animal motifs.
Brujah Antitribu
They are characterized by the fact that they want to convert anarchists to the right path, at least according to them. They bring a certain amount of peace to others, yet they are rebels among rebels.
Appearance: to emphasize their clan affiliation, they wear a lot of purple and red. They prefer a street atmosphere - skin, rave, punk, anarch.
Disciplines
Each character will have a choice of disciplines (special skills) specific to their clan, which they will be able to use during LARP.
A description of the mechanics of using disciplines will be sent to players and will be practiced during pre-game workshops.
LARP - (live action role play) - some people talk about it: experiencing a book or a live game, where you decide what the main character will do.
It is a form of entertainment during which you get a description of the character you will play, dress up in their outfit and play the character at a designated place and time. You decide how the character reacts when he/she has to choose between his/her values and defending a friend - will he/she go to a dark room from which he/she can hear cries for help, or will he/she run away? As a character, you experience real emotions - fear, anger, joy, which is why we use safety methods such as safety words and gestures in the game (you show gestures and words whether you want to play a more intense scene or is it too emotional a scene for you).
Remember that there are Safety People in the game whom you can turn to when the excitement of the game starts to overwhelm you.
Emotional security
During the game, the characters experience different situations and the players experience different emotions. At the moment when a given player feels uncomfortable with a given scene, he can signal it with security gestures and go offgame.
There will also be a team of Safety People available throughout the game to help players go through difficult emotions at any time. Players will learn about where to find Safety People during the workshops before the game.
Debrief
After the LARP is over, we invite everyone to a 30-minute debrief, so that we can actually get out of character and distance ourselves from the emotions that a given character experienced. This is especially recommended for people who will be LARPing for the first time.
Offgame meals
Have you had an intense scene with another player? Remember this player and we recommend that you approach this person during an off-game meal to talk through the scene - what your characters did - to distance the game from the player and reduce the level of emotions.
Don't be a jerk!
So behave in such a way that your game and behavior do not spoil the fun of others. Treat your teammates the way you'd like to be treated - and even better. Keep in mind at all times that we all have different levels of sensitivity and that we all came to this game to have fun. If you are not sure about playing some scenes with another player, you can also consult with the Design team or this player. For example, if you want to role-play stealing something, remember that you can only do it with things marked with a red ribbon.
Play to lift
What does it mean? It's simple - remember to use your game to help other players create an interesting story for their characters. Don't play selfishly - let your character not stand in the center of the action from time to time, but be a background and support for an interesting scene played by others. You will find that your fellow players will be happy to repay you with the same someday.
Play for epicness
Play to create memorable stories and scenes with others. Remember that a spectacular defeat is as great as a spectacular victory - the stories of great heroes are full of descriptions of their tragedies. Also, remember that no failure has to be final, and the stories of rising from a fall are among the most epic and heart-rending.
360 degree illusion
During the game, we want to use what in LARPs is called the "360-degree illusion mechanism" - everything the players come into contact with will be part of the game world, and elements that should not exist in it (e.g. going beyond the historical framework of the year 2002 technology) will be kept to an absolute minimum. To fully achieve this effect, of course, you will also need the cooperation of the players - at some moments we will ask you to slightly suspend disbelief and ignore elements that do not match the setting (e.g. modern car models that can be seen from the castle windows) or not looking for real mechanisms behind the current ones in-game special effects.
It's like an illusionist's performance - even if we know how a magic trick is performed, or we manage to see the proverbial "smoke and mirrors" at some point, we should rather, in order not spoil the fun for ourselves and others, focus on the show itself, rather than on finding and commenting on its hidden mechanisms. This suspension, at least for the duration of the game itself, of disbelief in what is happening in front of our eyes and in what we create ourselves, will allow us to blend in the game world much better.
Offgame vs Ingame
At the same time, we know perfectly well that living 24 hours a day as a role-playing character is impossible - each of us needs to return to the real world from time to time. Therefore, there will be off-game places available in the game area, i.e. places where the game is suspended. In such a place, you can stop actively participating in the LARP for some time - relax, talk about topics unrelated to the game, or use the Internet. Off-game locations will always be marked, and information about their location will be provided at pre-game workshops. Your room will also be off-game.
In order for the game to go on, players take on their characters and behave according to their character traits. This means that they can behave completely differently than outside the game - be more sarcastic, shy, or giddy. Many players like to play their character without interrupting and entering the so-called "offgame", however, if a player needs to talk to another about a particular scene they have experienced or want to relive, it can signal to them that they want to enter the off-game conversation. Just show this gesture:
“What you see is what you get”
During the game, the rule "what you see is what you get" applies - every item, person, and element of the environment present in the LARP world is exactly what it looks like. We will not try to convince you that a piece of cloth hanging on two strings is a solid stone wall, or that a curved stick is a modern pistol. The only exception to this rule is safe, latex weapons that simulate real swords or daggers in the game (although they are as similar to the originals as possible).
You can do what you can credibly play
The development of this principle is another - the character can do what the player can credibly play. For example, if your character is a master hunter, you don't really need to know how to read tracks - you just need to play it right. The same applies to physical things - doing a full 20 or 100 push-ups may be beyond your capabilities as
a player, but if you play it credibly (we'll show you how to do it in the pre-game workshop), your character can definitely do it.
Equality and accessibility
All character templates are universal and will be adapted to the player's chosen gender identity and sexual orientation, so that everyone can play according to their preferences. In the player’s form completed after purchasing the ticket, each participant will be able to specify their requirements in this matter, and our team of storytellers will adapt the selected character card to the guidelines set by them.
We do our best to make the Esbat an accessible event for everyone. If you are not sure whether your health situation will allow you to actively participate in the game - write to us. We will be happy to answer all your questions.
Pyrotechnics will appear in the game. It is also possible to use flashing lights. These stimuli can trigger an epileptic seizure.
NPCs
During the game, some characters will be played by recruited and prepared people. These characters are intended to spice up the players' experience and offer them additional storylines that are optionally playable. Most often it will be lecturers, famous figures, or mysterious wanderers. These characters and players will be introduced before the game and during the workshops.
Game Mechanics
Mechanics are additional in-game rules that make it easier to play scenes and things you can't or don't want to play in real life. They are a tool that supports your comfort and safety as a player without disturbing the immersion.
When you play The Esbat, you can expect:
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safety words and gestures (Red, Yellow, Green),
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touch rules and direct interaction with other players,
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combat and duel mechanics,
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mechanics of intimacy and sex,
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character death rules,
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mechanics of yellow and red cards - warnings from the organizers,
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Safety words and gestures.
Safety words will apply during the game.
They work like traffic lights:
Red! - Stops the scene immediately. If the situation is beyond your limits (as a player, not a character!) or if you or someone else has suffered real physical harm, use the word red!, saying it loud and clear. After hearing this safety word, all players stop the scene and react accordingly - they leave without asking additional questions or provide the necessary assistance.
Yellow - Indicates that the current scene has reached the limits of your comfort. If during playing you feel that, for example, the current degree of touch is the maximum acceptable for you, use the word yellow. This means that the scene (or a particular aspect of it) can continue at the current intensity level, but not increase it.
Green? - is an invitation to increase the intensity of the scene. If you think the current scene could benefit from being more intense, say the word Green? loud and clear to all other participants in the scene. In order to escalate their actions, the invitation must be accepted, so the other person(s) must also reply Green! Without acceptance, the scene cannot increase its intensity.
Security gestures
Safety words will be complemented by safety gestures. They can be used when for some reason you do not want or cannot use safety words (e.g. your mouth is covered). It is important to make sure that the person to whom we use the gesture is able to see it without any problems and respond to it (e.g. their hands are not tied)
👌
The basic gesture is the question "Is everything OK?", which is symbolized by the thumb and forefinger connected in the shape of a circle with the other fingers apart.
👍
"Everything's fine!" - a typical thumbs up gesture. It means that the player is not in any danger and is comfortable in the scene. The game can continue unchanged.
🤙
"I'm not sure / I don't know" - we shake the open palm with spread fingers in the horizontal axis. It means that the player himself is not sure of his condition, he probably needs support. After seeing such a gesture, approach him immediately and ask how you can help him.
👎
"It's bad" - a typical thumbs down gesture. Indicates that the player definitely needs help. Upon seeing such a gesture, immediately stop the scene and, if possible, take the player to medical help or a Safety People. If you do not have such a possibility, inform the organizers or the nearest NPC about the need for help as soon as possible. You can use this gesture at any time, also without asking beforehand.
Interact with other players
The default level of physical contact with other players in each scene is "no pain". This means that it is forbidden to use any physical violence or touch that caused pain to another player. By default, we agree to physical contact that does not cause pain or discomfort. We can, of course, control the extent of contact through the use of words or security gestures.
Combat mechanics
All combat in the game should be played as an actor, with a large dose of realism and respecting the safety rules and "no pain" mechanics. Brawls or hand-to-hand combat should have feigned blows, with a slow escalation of violence, to allow time for the other player to react appropriately to the blow or use safety words/gestures.
During the pre-game workshops, theatrical fights will be presented and practiced, such as pushing, punching in the face, boxing, etc.
Participants can bring safe LARP weapons: swords, knives, daggers, etc. The organizer should be informed about what LARP weapon we want to bring to the event. For the safety of participants and NPCs, each LARP weapon must pass accreditation. The accreditation will take place at the venue, directly before the game.
The mechanics of intimacy
When playing games for adults, we do not close ourselves to scenes of greater intimacy or sex scenes. We use the Ars Amandi mechanic for them. It consists of the partners maintaining eye contact, touching each other's hands, forearms and shoulders, and the height of the touch corresponds to the increasing intensity of physical contact. The subtle touch of the hand corresponds to gentle caresses, stroking the arms - bolder tenderness, the touch of the shoulders - full intercourse. We encourage you to act out such scenes in a place where you can be easily caught or noticed. Scenes should escalate slowly to give the other player a chance to react and possibly use safety words/gestures.
All kisses are performed using the theatrical thumb-kiss technique. It will be thoroughly discussed and shown during the pre-game workshop.
Character death
Your character can only die during the game if you, as the player, decide to do so. Regardless of the intensity of the scenes (e.g. fight, attack, etc.), your character can be wounded in the story, but will not lose his/her life if it is not your will. Thanks to this, as a player, you have full freedom to engage in risky story situations that you would probably avoid in everyday life, but which in the game can provide you with a lot of emotions. Of course, with the other rules of the game, including "don't be a jerk".
Black feather - a mechanic for those interested (the player declares his willingness to play with this mechanic in the questionnaire). It means that when your character is threatened by something that could cause his death, you receive the Black Feather from Design team in the game. You can then go to the design team off-game to determine what in-game actions your character can take. Failure to take any action may result in death for your character (we will let you know about it off-game before the final event).
Yellow and red card mechanics
Players whose behavior directly interferes with the game or threatens the safety and/or health of themselves or other participants may receive various types of warnings. The first stage is an ingame warning from an NPC (non-player character) about the risk of being expelled from school if the behavior continues. The next stage is the offgame admonition from the game organizers, the so-called "yellow card". During the conversation with the organizers, they will provide detailed information about why the player's behavior is inappropriate, why it was rated as such and what are the consequences of its continuation. The last reaction is a "red card", i.e. removing the dangerous player from the playing area.
Team Members
Bartłomiej Starypan
CEO
Paulina Mech
Producent/Design
Michał Mak
Main Designer
Piotr Krokosz
Community Manager
You?
:)