Laiv and death.

The hall was made of the traditional wooden build, the solid shaped tree trunks still visably laid upon one another. It was for some reason more reasuring than the usual brick and mortar. I looked into my drink, a wierd mix of cordial with spices and water. Apparently it was rum. It certainly got my pirate friends drunk enough.
There was a loud bang. SHouting. Somone was bearing hammered in the face by a tall man bearing nought but a animal skin. SOmeone had irritated the wood bandits again. One of the society types by his dress, except now it was covered in food, drink and bits of table. My table shook as the bandit threw his opponent to the ground and beat his chest in victory. My sword shook in its scabbard.
I sighed. The night had started so well...



Norway is full of culture. Pick any spot and you will be assured to find something in eyesight. But underneath the history and the more modern asthetics you can find something akin to those secret societys you read about.
My girlfriend, who you might have heard is Norwegian, is also a Laiv player.

Laiv, is a unique word, created to distinguish this secret past-time from the more common LARP (Live action roleplay) which one can find in other countries. While LARP is known for running around a field with fake fantasy equipment shouting "fire damage" with every strike against your foe, Laiv is seen as less action, more acting. COmbat, soft or otherwise is not as common and is reserved to those blessed with a profession or hobby which allows them to perform a combat like scene. In our group we had several professional wrestlers, sword fighters, singers and stage performers all versed in making you wonder if what they are doing is real!
This isnt to say that traditional LARP is rubbish, but an altogether different beast. That said, the line is murky at best.

Anyway, I was invited to join my girl on a Laiv called "The Brotherhood." Inspired by several great movies such as The Brotherhood, Cut Throat Island, Casanova and beyond, it contained many groups of theives from highwaymen to pirates. The plot? Since the death of the Thief Kind/Queen, wierd things have been occuring, driving the clans to come together to honour the ancient code which demands a regent. But with backtabbing, bribary and more strange unexplainable events, its going to be hard to get everyone to agree on who!

Clad in some fantastically hand sewn gear that my girlfriend actually put together a year before (another event), and toting my own sabre (which I would not use as it was a bit pointy) I joined my own group of Pirates on a weekend being someone else!

Now language was an issue at first. This was my first Laiv and although it was relaxed in terms of requirements (Norwegian was set as the secret thieves tongue, english as english) there were occasions of confusion. However, these wonderfully talented Laiv'ers that have been doing this a long time, each adapted in their own way. Have you ever heard Norwegion in a french/russian or even a German accent?

Have you ever seen someone scream so loud it hurt and begin drawing spirals in the snow in their own blood?
The special affects where amazing, and often in my own tired state I looked twice. Arguements, comedy, danses, drunkeness (real and not), duels, sex (mostly not real:D), betrayels and Svølk!! (In joke). Over the two/three days we all donned appropriate clothing and were in character. It got so real that I actually realised, if I needed to go home (we were in the middle of nowhere, in a camping site with loads of wooden houses, 15" snow), noone around me would even know what a car was!

Of course there were safe words, one that changed the scenes direction and one that stopped it entirely. Neither were used. Testiment to the quality of the players and the organisers.

But I digress. The point I was trying to make, was that this Laiv culture is big. Lying just under the surface, this little past time has had a few books, fiction, photo art and entire wiki databases dedicated to it. Mostly its historical period works, others are low fantasy or science fiction, with the emphasis always more on the charactor than the weapon he/she carries. About 50/50 male/female players. This thing stretches across the whole of scandinavia and beyond.

For me? I caught the bug. I wasnt the best player, in the later half it was so easy to forget my character amid everyone elses and be swept along from mysterious events like poison without cause and playing turncoat on my ship crew. My next Laiv has already been paid for.




Death.

Sadly this month has had sad events too. Recently I was told my grandmother passed away. Now this is a personal thing so forgive me if I don't go into too much detail. I will say this however, that one of the greatest emotional obstacles with living abroad is actually dealing with being away from home when something happens.

When tragedy strikes, there is no quick hug, reasurrance or anything of the kind spare a phone call. Organising an emergency trip home for the funeral can also be a trial of logistics and money. Every level of life is effected from friends to work. One minute you are hanging on every minute waitng for some information and then your rushing to get home. Ryan Air, you suck.

As it is, once again I was spared from too much turmoil by my adopted family over here. Not just Ingrids family, but friends that don't even realise they help with a word, a hug or a distraction. You know who you are.


Thanks for reading.