A Note from the Creator: Warping the Loom

This is what happens when a SCAdian and hema fighter learns about the wide world of larping. They write this.

This framework is the culmination of two years (three by the time it runs) of dedicated design, built upon the lessons I have learned in over twenty-five years of fighting, playing and organizing within each of these spaces. I have watched where our circles thrive and seeing exactly where we fracture. I spent a lifetime learning how to protect the things that make our cultures beautiful.

For decades, our circles have sat at separate tables, often focusing on our differences rather than our shared passions. But when I look at each of you I see parallel expressions of the exact same human spirit. Each of us has a deep love for artistry and the pursuit of personal mastery.

I see the HEMA practitioner drilling the perfect execution of a forgotten fencing master. I see the SCA marshal standing on a dusty field under a burning sun, guarding a sacred tradition honor and respect for the lyst. I see the LARPer pouring their heart and vulnerability into a collaborative, shared story. I see the TSL community's respect and enthusiasm for everyone's individual path.

I love these communities. I love everything they represent. And this event is my attempt to bring the best of all of us together under one tavern roof.

At its heart, this event is built around the specific types of stories that have always anchored me. I love coming-of-age tales, stories about triumphs over overwhelming adversity, and the vulnerable journey of being completely lost discovering a massive, dangerous new world. But above all, I love stories about personal change and deep reflection.

To be entirely honest, this sanctuary was forged out of  grief. I still haven’t made it back to Gulf Wars after Hawke died. I simply don’t know what to do at a war without her there, I think I am afraid to find out. 

A while back, I ran the rapier fighting at an event called the Festival of Bones. This game was originally just the first melee scenario of the day under the same title with some very light roleplay and silly community fun, but that day, standing on the field inspiration lit inside me. Then Dr. Bill passed away, and instead of letting that sorrow stagnate, I started writing this game and dragging literally everyone I knew into it with me.

Make them proud, wherever they might be now. This game is for you, those lost souls, and maybe some part for myself.

We have intentionally stripped away the things that pull us apart. There are no tournament brackets here, no arbitrary damage math, and no point systems designed to farm trophies at the expense of another human being's weekend. Instead, we have built a sanctuary.

We have built a space where our martial artists can fence at full speed with genuine athletic fidelity, backed by world-class marshals and ring directors who command the field with absolute gravitas. And we have wrapped that physical beauty inside a circle of narrative safety, where the storyteller always holds total creative sovereignty over their own character's trauma.

This game is designed purely to celebrate the sheer, intoxicating joy of living. It is a space where an exquisite, fast-paced exchange of steel isn't used to tear someone down, but to highlight the fragility, beauty, and vitality of being alive in this exact moment.

To the fighters, the marshals, the poets, the gamers and the storytellers: thank you for your passion, your craft, and your dedication. You are what makes life worth living and this space belongs to all of us. Welcome to the Life of the Party.

With all my love,

Master Caitilin inghean Fheichcin, Atlantia mka Candice Blaschke