the venue
This LARP is taking place in Manchester, England, on May 2, 2026, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, at The Chestnut Suite at the Treehouse Hotel Manchester, Blackfriars St, Manchester M3 2EQ, United Kingdom.
the vibes
* Willowfern Kingdom is a cozy fantasy frogsona LARP.
* Cozy: This is a low-stakes game! The Princess has delicate sensibilities. No death, aside from the off-screen death of King Frogerick. In universe, the King died about fifty years ago – which for immortal magical frogs is feels like ten years would for humans. Duels, if any occur, should be of a contest nature, there should be no attempts to cause other characters physical harm. While this game is political in nature, the inciting incident is an invitation to come together to solve problems with words. Like it or not, you’re all on an advisory council together. This should be less Model UN and more of a Student Council meeting.
* Fantasy: There are strong themes of magic and make-believe in this game! In the Kingdom of Willowfern (and beyond!) magic is commonplace. Magical plants, magical rocks, magical frogs, the whole world is steeped in the stuff. Some characters might not like magic, some might try to cover up the specifics of certain magical objects or rituals for various reasons… but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. In fact, there may be more to the magic of this world than one notices at first glance. But you can always take a closer look!
* Frogsona: Everyone will be playing magic, anthropomorphic frogs – in terms of costumes, think frog software installed on fairy hardware. You do not have to dress up as a frog; this is understood just by your character being present and existing in this universe. If you want to do more to lean into this in your costume choices, you may! But please be respectful of other attendees. More on that below.
Need inspiration? Check the Pinterest boards and Spotify playlist.
please be advised: a Discord server is in the works!
the costumes
* You do not have to dress up to look like a frog or be frog-shaped! Frogginess is a spectrum and this is not a costume contest. To best respect other people’s budgets and visions, this game exists within the understanding that we are all frogs trying to coexist in the Kingdom of Willowfern.
* If you would like to incorporate frog features into your dress (Such as eyes or face/body paint), you are completely welcome to! Elements associated with your faction (Snail, Mushroom, Lilypad, and Dragonfly) are also strongly encouraged, so that other players can tell at a glance which you belong to.
* “Inhuman” fantasy elements like elf ears or fairy wings, or even animal features such as antlers and horns are also A-OK! You should feel like a powerful representative of your faction. Go where the vibe goes.
* We are still clarifying the presence of LARP-safe light foam weapons with the venue. Live steel is not allowed.
The general idea of the setting and costumes are high fantasy, something you would wear to your local Renaissance Faire. If all else fails, I offer you this aesthetic brief: Hobbit, but make it frog.
the conduct statement
- By buying a ticket and participating in this event, you agree to uphold this Code of Conduct.
- Respect your fellow players and community. Act in good faith and in fair play, and be mindful of your fellow players’ safety and well-being. Willowfern Kingdom is a safe place. That means this is a harassment-free environment, as our characters but also as our real people selves. No insults related to gender, appearance, economic situation, or other facets of identity will be tolerated.
- Homophobia, transphobia, racism, or other discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated. Any remarks of this nature will result in your being asked to leave the game immediately.
- Willowfern is a “dry” game. To best ensure the safety of all players, alcohol, recreational drugs, and illicit substances are not permitted.
- The Venue: Respect the space. We are guests at this venue, and only have a short amount of time to set-up and take-down decorations to make the most of our time here, so most of the magic is contained by the wonderful building and grounds we’re occupying for the day. Use your good judgement, and do not climb on any furniture or structures.
- Please keep in mind that there will be half an hour after the game dedicated to taking down any props or decorations.
- Out of Character Areas: The tea and coffee station is a designated Out of Character area, and if you need to take a breather or step out of the room, the Chestnut Suite is located in a hotel with a lobby.
- The Catered Lunch is opt-in in character, with no plot-heavy events or the worry of happening to interrupt you getting food. Party Hats will be available for anyone who wishes to continue play while eating.
- Physical Boundaries in play: There should never be an expectation of actual physical contact, even if your characters have a physical relationship. Never assume a “yes” for hand-holding, hugs, or general touch. Private areas are out of bounds and are not an option for touch at any time. Period.
- Duels: and LARP-safe weapons have not yet been okayed by the venue.
- Emotional Boundaries in play: Arguing or verbal fighting can be a great way to set a relationship or play out part of an emotional arc. Characters can be rude and characters can be made to feel uncomfortable, but there is a hard stop when it comes to any insults or verbal blows reaching the Player behind the character. Any name-calling or insult rooted in a characteristic that a Player cannot change about themself is out of bounds. This means:
- Someone’s physical appearance, such as height or weight
- Someone’s voice, such as a stutter or vocal stim
- Any real or perceived disability or illness, including mental illness
- You are still welcome to prenegotiate fights with insults and name-calling! Please just err on the side of caution, run proposed insults by each other before starting the scene, and don’t be mean just to be mean – even if it is something you feel your character would do, we want to avoid hurting the other Players. ‘Characterization’ is never an excuse.
- Safety Gestures: Our game has specific gestures to interact and check-in with each other without necessarily interrupting a team
- Out of Character: one fist held up to forehead, indicates speaking OOC. This signal is helpful for jokes and checking your lore but ALSO to double check player consent or have further discussion of any player goals/wants for the scene! Also, please be sure to check-in before touching others!
- Check-In: One player holds a thumbs-up sign to their heart/cheek/upper torso area. The player receiving the check-in can respond with a thumbs-up (or even two thumbs up!), a middle thumb/”meh” symbol, thumbs down, or other indicators of how they are doing out of character, as a person. Anything that’s not a thumbs up should be taken as a sign to step back in RP and/or ensure the player’s needs are met.
- Blinders: One palm held over the forehead as if the player is shading themself from the sun or as if they are a horse wearing blinders. This indicates “I’m passing through/don’t want to be involved in this scene, please ignore me.” If a player desires, they can also put up two “blinders”, meaning “pretend like I was never here.”
- Negotiation: Negotiation is used to develop scenes that may be more intense or complex than the usual LARP improv. It is important to maintain the line of consent when involving another person in an intense scene or relationship involving romance, enemies, or other highly emotionally intense scene. To start a negotiation, a player should place one hand clearly in front of them, giving the other player(s) distance, and state, “Negotiate [specifics of negotiation].” Remember to discuss context and any potential desired outcomes! Some examples include:
- “Negotiate: Romance.” [give Player space to listen & respond] “Would you like to play out a crush scenario?” or “Our characters have a messy love history together. Do you want to negotiate conflict around that?”
- “Negotiate: Enemies” [give Player space to listen & respond] “My character just found out you betrayed them. Can I storm up to you and accuse you of doing (act)?”
- “Negotiate: Violence.” [give Player space to listen & respond] “This is getting pretty heated. What if we pretend your character shoves mine?”
- (The keyword here is, of course, PRETEND, any roughness should be simulated!)
- Remember: It is okay for your characters to be uncomfortable but never you as a player and a person to be. If a scene, situation or relationship is bordering on painful, causing hurt or is reminiscent of trauma, please care for yourself and leave the moment. Find a staff member or reconnect with your scene partner OOC so that you can renegotiate or null the relationship depending on your needs. Nothing here is so precious that it should cause you harm.
Willowfern Kingdom 