Michelle Returns Part 4
READER’S NOTE: We showed up at the LARP (Solanna and myself) one hour ahead of time as planned so that the Storytellers can hammer out any last minute details. It was a really hot summer evening and the university campus was pretty much deserted. Michelle and Al were already there, having arrived only a few minutes earlier than us. We actually saw Michelle walking into the building while I was parking my car. Solanna and I looked at each other and shuddered.
(walking towards the building)
Marc: “Shit man it is really hot and sticky. I don’t know how I am going to survive the night.”
Solanna: “We should be more worried about Michelle, she can’t take the heat very well.”
Marc: “I hope she doesn’t act up.”
Solanna: “shhhhh. We’re here.”
Marc: “Hi guys!”
Al: “Hi Marc. Hi Solanna.”
Michelle: (busy sitting in a corner cutting up bits of paper with a pair of scissors.”
*snip* *snip* *snip*
Solanna: “Hi Al. Hi Michelle.”
Michelle: *snip* *snip* *snip*
Solanna: “I said, ‘Hi’ Michelle.”
Michelle: *snip* *snip* *snip*
Solanna: “Michelle? Hellllooooo?”
Michelle: (looks up for a mere second) “Hello.” (looks back down again)
*snip* *snip* *snip*
(Solanna looks at me with the “Can-I-please-kill-her-now?” look. I motion to her to remain calm)
Al: “We should check out which rooms we can use in the building. I spoke to the proctor earlier and he said that we have the run of the place, as long as we don’t attract campus security.”
Solanna: “We should also go over the story one last time too.”
Marc: “And you guys should tell me what you want me to do.”
Al: “Cool. Anything you wish to add Michelle?”
Michelle: *snip* *snip* *snip*
Solanna: “Michelle!”
Michelle: “What?”
Solanna: “We kind of need you here.”
Michelle: “Well you guys do what you have to do. I’m busy here.” *snip* *snip* *snip*
Marc: “Michelle. What are you doing?”
Michelle: “I printed up name tags for everyone, so now I am just cutting them up.”
Marc: “Well would you like me to cut them while you guys do the other last minute preparations?”
Michelle: “No. That’s okay. I’d rather do them myself.”
(Al motions us to go outside the room. We leave Michelle alone)
Solanna: “Okay! What the fuck is her problem?”
Al: “Maybe it’s the heat?”
READER’S NOTE: The tension was diffused when the proctor came to visit us to remind us to lock the rooms up after we were finished. Now the proctor is a really REALLY weird looking guy. He has these googly blue eyes and one of those overly grown chin beards. After he left I made a joke saying that he looks like an armpit with eyes. We all broke down and started laughing.
Al: “Okay Marc here’s the deal. We need you to play a Gangrel who has come to the city on a mission for his Sire to have the text on this ancient artifact translated. However, during the course of the evening, your character will get killed. The idea here is fool the other players into thinking you are just another PC.”
Michelle: “Don’t forget that he has to introduce himself to me (giggle).”
Al: “Oh yeah, you have to introduce yourself to the Prince of course. All the PCs have to actually.”
Marc: “No prob. I’m basically an NPC pretending to be a PC. Got it. How do I die?”
Al: “The PC group will be attacked by Sabbat shovelheads with a Lasombra working Obtenebration in the distance.”
LARP Player: “Hi guys.”
Marc: “Hey there. Gosh you’re here early.”
LARP Player: “Yeah, I know. I hope you guys don’t mind, but I didn’t want to change into my costume and then travel all the way here in this sweltering heat.”
Marc: “What are you playing?”
LARP Player: “I’m a Ventrue. What are you playing?”
Marc: “I’m a Gangrel.”
Michelle: (to LARP player) “Here’s your name tag.”
LARP Player1: “Name tag? What’s this for?”
Michelle: “It’s just to help the others remember your name and when you are actually playing in-character. If you flip it over, you’ll notice it says out-of-character. You flip it to ‘out-of-character’in case you need to go to the bathroom or something.”
LARP Player1: “I see, but how come Marc doesn’t have one.”
Michelle: “Oh Marc is just an…”
Marc: “*AHEM!*”
Michelle: “Uh…oh yeah. Marc is a….urm…ah…. special case. He….uh…that is….”
Marc: “I’m going to be in-character all night. That’s why I don’t need a name tag.”
LARP Player: (looking confused) “Oh…I see.”
READER’S NOTE: The other players arrive. The STs left to go change into their costumes, leaving me alone with the LARP players, many of whom I was meeting for the first time.
LARP Player1: “Hi I’m Steve.”
Marc: “Pleased to meet you Steve, my name is Marc.”
LARP Player2: “Oh. Are you THE Marc?”
Marc: “Uh, I’m not sure what you mean.”
LARP Player2: “Are you not Michelle’s Storyteller?”
Marc: “Uh…yes.”
LARP Player3: “Oh yeah, I heard about you.”
Marc: “You heard about me?”
LARP Player2: “Yup. Your reputation proceeds you.”
Marc: “And what kind of reputation is that?”
LARP Player2: “Basically that you are an evil SOB”.
Marc: “Michelle said that?”
LARP Player2: “In so many words, yes.”
Marc: “Uh-huh. I see.”
READER’S NOTE: These are excerpts from Scene 1 of the LARP.
Al: “All rise for the honorable Prince!”
(Michelle walks in, she is all smiles and is giggling incessantly. She takes her seat at the head of the room)
Al: “My Prince, we have gathered all the new arrivals to our city here for your approval…”
Michelle: “Wait! (flips her name tag over so it reads ‘Out-of-Character’) Did you explain to them what my haven looks like?”
Al: “Yes I did.”
Michelle: “Well just to make sure, I’ll describe what my haven looks like. My haven is in the Penthouse of a high rise building in the heart of the city. It has large Egyptian style columns with a stucco finish. The rug is a red satiny color. The door to my haven is Gothic style and has twin gargoyles flanking it and seems to stare at you when you enter. On your right are windows which overlook the skyline of the city. The curtains are drawn though. The curtains are also red, and they have tassels the size of pomegranates. On your left is a bar which is tended by my ghouls who are the handsomest men you have ever seen (giggle). My throne is on a dais which is about 3 feet above you and draped on either side with royal blue banners. You are all seated on simple yet comfortable chairs, all of which are facing me. To my right is a framed Picasso painting. The lighting here is low, giving it an eerie look. On my right are other works of art by Rembrant, Monet, Leanardo Da Vinci and Waterhouse….
READER’S NOTE: At this point I and some of the other PCs kind of tuned out. While Michelle’s description was…urm…nice (in a Charles Dickens sorta way) I thought it was bit too much. I looked over at Solanna and Solanna just rolled her eyes. After Michelle’s description of her quarters were over, we started with the introduction of the new arrivals.
Michelle: “Name?”
LARP player1: “Danielle.”
Michelle: “Clan?”
LARP player1: “Ventrue.”
Michelle: “Thank you. Welcome to our city. Next please.”
(Player 2 steps up)
Michelle: “Name?”
LARP player2: “Erica.”
Michelle: “Clan?”
LARP player2: “Malkavian.”
Michelle: “Thank you. Welcome to our city. Next please.”
(Player 3 steps up)
Michelle: “Name?”
LARP player3: “Jonathan.”
Michelle: “Clan?”
LARP player1: “Tremere.”
Michelle: “Thank you. Welcome to our city. Next please.”
(I step up)
Michelle: “Name?”
Marc: “Match.”
Michelle: “Clan?”
Marc: “Gangrel.”
Michelle: “Recite to me the Traditions.”
Marc: “Huh?”
Michelle: “Recite to me the seven Camarilla Traditions.”
Al: “Pssst. Michelle, there are SIX Camarilla traditions, not seven.”
Michelle: “Oh yeah right. (looks at me) Recite to me the six Camarilla traditions.”
Marc: “(Looking at Al). Is this a mental challenge?”
Al: “It’s okay, if you think your character will know them, you can recite them.”
Marc: “I don’t think my character knows them all by heart.”
Michelle: “Well it looks like I am going to have to tutor you, hee hee. *ahem*. Well for shame Mr….uh, what was your name again?”
Marc: “Match.”
Michelle: “Well, for shame Mr. Match. How can I possibly allow one such as you to enter our city…”
Marc: “I beg your pardon my Prince, but my name is not Mr. Match….just Match…(Points to painting) Just like Picasso here. You don’t call him Mr. Picasso do you?”
(the other players, Al and Solanna were starting to snicker)
Michelle: “A Picasso my dear sir, is a work of art. You my friend are not.”
Marc: “I may not be a work of art, but my friends keep telling me I’m a piece of work.”
(the other players start to laugh. Michelle is getting more and more flustered.)
Michelle: “Well what kind of a stupid name is ‘Match’ anyway?”
Marc: “It was a name given to me by my fellow workers back in my mortal days. We were coal miners, and once there was a cave in. It was totally dark and I was the only one in the group that had matches.”
Michelle: “I see. That must have been a tragic experience.”
Marc: “Yeah. We actually had to feed on each other urine in order to survive.”
Michelle: “*sniff* I guess that explains your stench. So what brings you to our fair city anyway?”
Marc: “I’m here to get this writing on this artifact translated.”
Michelle: “Do you have this artifact?”
Marc: “Yeah.”
(I reach into my crotch and pull out the *ahem* artifact. At this point the others burst out laughing.)
READER’S NOTE: I don’t know if Michelle was acting in-character or out of character when she looked at me with this very irritated look. If Michelle wanted for me to lose at this witty reparté, she should have at least said so. The others were very amused though. Solanna and Al both gave me the thumbs up, so I guess I was doing okay at this point.
