Game History

The Origin Story

This is the very first LARP I've written as Jennifer, since starting my transgender transition, now seven months into the process. I'd had the joy of playing several memorable two player LARPs, including The Fortunate Ones, The Last Time (Not the Last Time), and Mirror-World. I loved the depths and intensity these LARPs could reach with a great partner and a dramatic sense of pacing.

On September 18th, 2022, I woke in a great mood, as has been the case most days since my transition started. I hopped in the shower around 10:30 AM. By the time I climbed out, The Chalice was fully formed in my head. Jordan was asleep, so I didn't wake him. I voice dictated everything I could into the Notes app on my iPad. When I was dry and quite fashionably dressed, I started turning those ideas into a LARP. I wrote the entire day, using the Scrivener writing app. By 4 AM, the first draft was done.

Jordan had it that next day, providing his usual excellent feedback. I read through it again as well. I think we were both more than a little surprised at the different genre, tone, and setting, so unlike everything else I've written. Hormone therapy, an end to my gender dysphoria, the joy of finally being my True Authentic Self, and medication that mitigates the worst of my ongoing migraine while leaving my mind mostly clear — that's very powerful magic!

The Ïarnï are based on something I wrote for one of my very first LARPs. These Ïarnï also owe some of their heritage to classic fairy tales. I’m also a huge Camelot (and Spamalot) fan, along with Edith Pargeter aka Ellis Peters' amazing Brother Cadfael mysteries, and Katherine Kurtz' wonderful Deryni novels and stories, all of which I devoured decades ago. Add in all sorts of science fiction stories about human genetics and an intense Puberty v2.0 as part of my transgender transition, throw it all in the blender of my brain, and trigger the right neuron with a stray cosmic ray, and you get something very special and different from me. I 💜 this game so much!

With a crazy busy schedule, for me, and for people who were interested in playtesting, I had to postpone the planned September 28th initial run. Fortunately Jen and Kathy were available for the 30th, and they were amazing to watch. I wept at their drama.

I love to write, and I've been writing LARPs (and more) for 36 years now, but sometimes it just flows. When I look back at those pieces, I'm frequently surprised at how really good they are. That's what happened when I wrote The Chalice. To watch really good players take those materials, digging into the angst and the drama, letting the revelations come out naturally — watching them elevate what I've written beyond what I imagined possible — well, that's the best feeling in the world for me as an author. (October 1st, 2022)

I am also indebted to my great initial playtesters, who made gave me some excellent suggestions for improvements to ratchet up the angst a little more. Thank you for your brilliant ideas!

The Runs