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the dancers have forgotten the steps, the singing has lost its tune, the symbols have lost their power, and the ritual has slipped into the unknown…. But the ritual still remembers, and it grows hungry
Welcome to A Dance of Ribbons, the inaugural LARP from Come Close and Listen. Think Game of Thrones meets Folk Horror at a Pagan Festival.
Heated Tensions between neighbouring cultures are to be suppressed for these three days every year to celebrate the Spring Equinox; but with the suspicious death of a Monarch, a foreign empire demanding resources for a far off war, and the old gods angered, peaceful festivities may be challenged.
Running from November 3rd to 6th, and only an hour away from the centre of Melbourne in Warrandyte; A Dance of Ribbons promises to be a wild weekend of adventure. Play a character that you’ve crafted with dedicated writers, create narratives that respond to your ideas and be immersed in a world designed by theatre makers, role players and game designers.
Dance of Ribbons is a love letter to those roleplayers who love intricate stories, deep narratives and embodying characters with love and care.
Running November 3 – 6
in Warrandyte on Wurundjeri country. Only an hour away from the centre of Naarm (Melbourne)
What do you get?
Purchasing a ticket to A Dance of Ribbons gives you access to our game discord, three workshops to help you build characters and create adventures, the weekend itself and more!
What do I need to bring/make/do?!
The weekend is in the wonderful Warrandyte at Clifford Adventure Park. What you’ll need for the weekend is the same you’d bring for a camping festival! A tent, (limited bunks available, priority to access needs), some snacks, warm clothes and your character costumes.
All players will be sent a character creation pack upon purchasing a ticket. In the pack you’ll create a character and be assigned a writer to help you develop your character and seamlessly integrate them within our dynamic world! Make sure you fill this out ASAP so we can help you create, then join the discord to discuss your character with your writer.
You’ll need to make your own costume. Check out our pinterest boards below for some ideas and inspiration! If you’ve never made a costume or LARPed before we have a workshop to help you create and build your own on the cheap! Op shops and creative thinking are your friends.
Do I need to bring weapons or buy armour too?
We’re not a battle game, we’re not interested in hitting each other all the time. On that note, there are elements of combat but if you don’t want to fight you won’t need to! There are plenty of ways to deal with combat in our game outside of swinging a sword.
I’ve never LARPed before and I’m a bit nervous! Is this LARP for me?
We want this game to be as accessible and immersive as possible, for those people who have LARPed their entire life and those people who want to dip their toes for the first time. We want this space to be safe for everyone, with a diverse team we are dedicated to making sure you, the player, have support from multiple fronts. If you need any help developing ideas, creating a character or even have any questions around what a LARP is, don’t hesitate to contact us at contact@comeandlisten.com.au!
Setting
The weight of time has laid heavy on the borderlands of Garmont and Vicaria, two neighbours who have lived next to each other for hundreds of years; but still they are wary of one another.
Vicaria, where the winds of magic still linger. An ancient culture of old gods and superstitious customs. Their many disparate clans are united by a theocracy of druidic mystics who dictate all aspects of everyday life.
Garmont, a land of fine wines, good food and hard days tending the fields. Where the rigid feudal ladder is strained under the weight of vying nobles claiming power, while peasants serve their lords with diligence or face punishment.
Both cultures are stuck between tradition and modernity, the new and the old gods, the world they aspire to and the reality they live.
These two cultures meet once a year at The Dance of Ribbons to celebrate the ancient ritual that brings in the new season of the harvest and its promise of bounty. Where new treaties can be forged, friends can meet and, hopefully, peace is maintained. The dance is a dance for all time; a festival of food, culture, politics, leisure, faith and ceremony. But as the years have passed the meaning of the ritual has been forgotten, and the festival no longer satiates the hunger. Perhaps the rumours of strange lights after dark, or the whisper of voices in the air, or the claim of seeing strange horned monsters are linked.
“Every year, as the promise of a warmer spring looms and the harvest draws nearer, the people of Garmont gather with the Vicarians of the East. For only these three days of the year, heated tensions between our rivalled cultures are suppressed, so that the ancient rituals of our forebears may be enacted. However, the true purpose of these hallowed festivities is now lost to time, the significance of ceremony is tested, fueled by political unrest. The Garmont Monarch has deceased, our neighbour’s war across the Western Ocean demands from us the wealth of our lands, our ancient customs are at risk of rekindling ancient rivalries.“ – Geoffry Chancer
Historical Note
While our wonderful land is set in a fantasy setting, the cultures and ideas that we play with, including fashion, sit around the early Renaissance to late 17th century. This is quite a broad spectrum of time and concepts, but we hope that it gives enough room for costumes, ideas and characters to flourish. Some of our cultures are inspired by real world places, but we want to emphasise the inspiration part. They are not a one-to-one recreation. For example, although Vicaria is inspired by Celtic, Slavic and Scot cultures we don’t want people to assume that kilts are the norm. These cultures are going to be refined by our community and hopefully you’ll all see them in new and wonderful ways!
Culture Selector
As a player in The Dance of Ribbons, you are invited to become either a member of one of the feudal houses of Garmont, or kith to one one of Vicaria’s disparate Clans. But Garmont and Vicaria are not the only stakeholders represented in the dance. Be wary of the arrival of the delegates of the Francian Empire, similarly, by the presence of the old families of Emor. The members of these two NPC factions have their own intriguing goals, their own alliances to forge, their own treasures to share, their own stories to tell.
Ticket holders have the option of deciding between either playing as a character from Garmont or Vicaria. You then will pick either one of the three Cantons (Houses) of Garmont, or one of the three Clans of Vicaria. This smaller group you situate yourself within will share much of your character’s backstory, ambitions, and customs.
Click below to learn more about these factions.