Taiwan's growing LARP community gathered in Taipei to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the country's largest Renaissance fair. Live action role playing, also known as LARP, involves dressing up as fantasy characters mostly inspired by European Medieval history.
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00:00Here at Taiwan's largest renaissance fair, the LARPing community, otherwise known as
00:06live-action role-players, are gathered here today, wearing their favorite costumes inspired
00:10by European medieval history.
00:12Dennis is a member of Taiwan's LARPing society and one of the organizers of Dragon Dungeon
00:18Day.
00:19LARP is live-action role-play, which is like a real-person role-playing game.
00:28When we were kids, we played RPGs and online games, and LARPing is like a real-person
00:34online RPG game.
00:35So you get to interact with real people, for example, you can use weapons to hit each
00:40other.
00:41You get to have a real conversation with people, and you get to wear costumes.
00:45This is the main definition of LARPing.
00:47In fact, LARPing is developing quite well in Taiwan.
00:50There are all kinds of groups, and there are groups in the north, south and east.
00:54Everyone has a different style, and players can try different things to find their favorite
01:00group.
01:01Adventurers are invited to complete real-life quests by finding clues at all the stalls,
01:06offering fun and fantastical finds.
01:08Those who complete their quests will be rewarded with badges, like these.
01:15Other activities involve archery, interactive board games, trying on armor, and battle
01:21simulations.
01:24Also, a medieval music performance.
01:27LARPing is a kind of sports, you can think of it as a sport.
01:42Yes, I'm a LARPer.
01:44I've been doing it for about seven years, I think.
01:47I knew about it in the US, but I didn't really have a chance to do it until I got here.
01:51I think we're growing a lot.
01:52It started out, you know, just like maybe 20 people in a park, and now we have big battles
01:57where we might have a hundred or so people.
02:00This is my second time here.
02:02I was here last year.
02:03This is my fifth time here.
02:09I have five badges on me.
02:12This is the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth time.
02:17This is my second time here.
02:19I think this community is growing very largely.
02:23Because I've heard from them that initially the scale of this group may be just hundreds,
02:30but now it becomes thousands or ten thousands.
02:33So you can see the flow here is very huge.
02:38Yes, it's a proof of this community is growing.
02:41Whether a seasoned LARPer or a casual fantasy fan, Taiwan's largest renaissance fair has
02:46something for everyone.
02:49It's a space to let out your ulcer ego, explore a world of new identities, or engage in a
02:54new hobby.
02:55Although just in its fifth year, the organizers here hope Dragon Dungeon Day will gain legendary
03:01status and earn a place in Taiwan's cultural landscape.
03:05Luffy Li, Bryn Thomas, and Millie Hughes for Taiwan Plus.