The Battlefords going medievel

“We generally play our games west of Saskatoon, mostly because that’s where most of the better opportunities for a site seem to be,” Gunn said. “We made arrangements with the Air Cadets and have been using their hall for several events this winter and it’s been great.”

While their group is based out of Saskatoon, they have players from Edmonton, Lloydminster, Prince Albert, and they hope some soon from the Battlefords.

On Feb. 25, they are hosting a masquerade ball event at the Air Cadet Hall with a free game, open to anyone.

“All we generally ask is that if someone wants to show up to try, to find something that’s medieval, fantasy [type of] clothing,” Gunn said. “You make a little persona, you walk in a game and you just let whatever happens happens.”

He said he know it can be intimidating at first, but you won’t know if you like it until you try.

“There’s still a little bit of a stigma about it, like ’oh, that’s kind of nerdy. I don’t know if I could be seen doing that,’” he said. “Come out and try. Just try it once, is what I always say. If you don’t like it, that’s cool. There are other games out there.”

With LARPing, the guild follows a story line and engages in ‘battles’ at their different events. At their masquerade event at the Air Cadet Hall, the guild will be battling an evil fey king, Lord Finnigan, played by Gunn himself.

“Imagine crossing Game of Thrones with Lord of the Rings and that’s basically what you’re going to get with our game,” he said.

The safe space, lack of judgement and escapism is what Gunn points to as attracting people to LARPing everywhere.

“It’s just really great to kind of slip into a second skin and just escape your everyday kind of life,” he said. “It’s super relaxing just to be somebody else for a weekend. To not be Wes Gunn, who is having to be a security guard and plan for an improv game or something like that. No, it’s just I am putting on my stuff for Finnigan on the 25th and I’m going to be a crazy winter fey cackling like a madman. It will be great.”

Katherine.svenkeson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ksvenkeson

by Katherine Svenkenson

The Battlefords going medievel

What's Trending