Odyssey

Odyssey

Take your place in the Great Game

Location

Warwickshire, UK

Genre

Classical mythology

Conflict resolution system

Live-combat

Duration

Full Weekend

Games per year

2

Credits

Profound Decisions

Website

Odyssey

Odyssey is a live-combat fest larp in the UK. The game is faction-based, with players representing the various cultures of the ancient Mediterranean (Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Romans and Carthaginians) as they compete for power in the "great game".

Odyssey is produced by Profound Decisions and has been running since 2010.

Setting

A handful of years ago, Alexander the Great, mightiest conqueror in history, gathered all of his forces on the plains before the city of Babylon, and there challenged the might of heaven with armed force and the magic of his philosophers. The gods came to battle, and Alexander lost, his generals and advisors twisted into horrors in punishment.

That done, the gods gathered at Babel and spoke to the peoples of the world. The Age of Empire was over, they pronounced, and a new Age of Heroes would begin.

In this new Age, the fate of nations would be settled by combat in a grand arena. Each year, the heroes of the civilized lands would fight: territory and wealth the reward for heroic deeds. To each of these Annuals, the gods would call the best and the brightest: priests, warleaders, champions and philosophers. In arena combat, in quest, in deeper understanding of the magics of the world, and in the presence of the gods themselves would be born the legends of the Age of Heroes.

Rules

Characters are defined using a simple class and skill system, with each class (or "path") having different roles in the Great Game. Characters must also choose one of the five factions ("nations") to belong to. Skills are gained through a "kit" which varies by path and nation, or chosen from path-based lists. Unusually, there is no advancement system, and no way for characters to increase in power during the game - though they can change path and kit between events, allowing them to try different styles of play.

Combat uses live-combat with a simple global hit points system, with most characters taking only one or two hits to incapacitate. Armour grants an additional hit, and skilled characters wearing "culturally appropriate" (for their nation) armour gain three. The game uses stab-safe spears, thrown javelins and larpsafe arrows for missile weapons. There is a small number of calls for resolving magical effects.

The entire rules system is Creative-Commons licensed, allowing it to be used and modified (with acknowledgement) for other games.

External links

• Official site
• Rules (CC-by-SA)
• Odyssey wiki