Also at events such as Maelstrom having an IC tent means I can have as much IC tat as I want. As well these days I'm rarely toting much in the way of weaponry although if I could without worrying about it I would.

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Life, meh!

An NPC guide was acting in a suspecious fashion.  After he got killed, the players searched him.  Some players pointed out he was strange that he wasn't carrying a tinderbox, food, etc.

One player (who normally refs, but was playing this event for a break) then pointed out OC 'how many of you are actually carrying those things?  This point was somewhat countered after three players then replied that they were in fact carrying such kit.

Obviously it's nice if players (and crew) go to the trouble of kit down to that level of detail.  I'm not sure it will be that common through.

One way is encourage this is plots that reward such things.  For example:

- a few events back Riftworld started ruling that the comfort with which character sleep (even through sleeping itself is after time out, players say where they are sleeping) affects the recovery of psi points.

- at a 1920's horror game I was at, some players had gone out and got some real 1920's coins to carry around as pocket change.  When we stumbled into a werewolf plot, they prompted dropped their (silver) pocket change down the barrell of the shotguns in the hunting lodge we were staying in.

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<insert really amusing sig here>

Mages, casters as a whole - Need a spell book, with the spells written in it in the particular rune (So church of light angelic, mage runes - mages etc) this is a minimum requirement, we dont mind as such for the First event, however after that all people should have them, if they dont, then they actually can't caste! However druids may well be different etc. Mages may also need ritual kits, or anyone to help themselves, if they dont however you can usually tell the ones who are not very influencial mages, because the dont have the equipment or the mind set to be influencial.

Rangers, need rope, flint and tinder, hunting tools etc, however if they dont, there is no OOC implications, however, the Rangers Guild IC bollocks them, and they may approach the People in command, to have them physically beaten if its extreme, or in a first instance, a stern talking to. The Rangers if doing one day event linears need to bring rations, and drink with them, with all there bits, if they DONT then they dont eat unless someone is willing to lend them a bit of food, and its essential for these classes, like rangers, or adventurers etc to have this sort of kit.

Templars - Need there church of light book, preferabley there holy symbol (which is usually a sun), as well as wearing white, and preferabley the templar tabard/surcoat, however they dont usually do campaigns where they will be out in the woods for several days, they smite the dark, so, such tools isnt the sort of area Templars go for usually.

However, i run day event training events, and all people are expected (the race day events) to bring rations, to sit down at lunch and eat, to look as IC as possible (so sandwiches wrapped up in greese proof paper usually, the brown stuff, mine is usually food wrapped up in that, then further wrapped up in furrs etc.

If people do not bring rations, and they do not look IC, then they don't eat (unless someone shares) however this is growing slowely, and will take time, since peoples idea's are growing in this area (I use old wine bottles, filled up with Ribena to resemble wine, with a few tankards with me and pottered cups), items which look ooc are not tollerated, however food which does is fine, however it is presented or wrapped up IC'ish, so choclate is fine, as long as it is wrapped up in brown grease proof paper and so on!

I always say its the small things which makes larp greater, IC never truely feels IC unless you are roughing it somewhat, or unless you are sleeping IC, and doing the whole lot IC.

I sleep IC, bring a IC tent, have several kits to wear in the morning before i get back in my armour.

Some people may call me anal, or people like us anal, but i think personally it makes for better role play, because like anything, people lead by example, so if some start doing it and influencing others, then other follow!

IC effort, to make the atmosphere feel totally fantasy'ish and emersed should always be rewarded, if you reward good role play and the players who are serious enough to commit themselves in such a way, then you will always get good role players.

Seaxe&Sorcery: HMS (IC) King Heimer.

Warbands: *Insert random dead character here*

Unforgotten Realms: Asvaldr

This is so not true. There are numerous ways of carrying your equipment in such a way that you can drop it in a blink of an eye. They go back thousands of years and are still in use today.

In the middle ages, people would carry their stuff in knapsacks, tied to a walking stick. The biggest advantage of this method is that they don`t actually carry the stuff themselves at times: the stick does it for them. The stick also doubled as a fighting staff in a pinch - keep it upside down and knapsack and water/wineskin fall to the ground. (Okay, the combination walking stick/fighting staff may not work in LRP, due to conflicting demands of sturdiness and weapons safety.) Of course, pilgrims on preference didn`t sleep in the open, and they trodded the well trodden paths.

Roman legionnaires used a similar method: a rake-like construction (sans teeth) from which a pack with their gear was hung, together with some loose equipment, and a pair of pointed sticks (to be dug in around the camp`s perimeter) tied to it. In the same hand the legionnaire would hold his two pila (light and heavy throwing spear). His scutum was hung from the shoulder and when he wasn`t wearing it in bad weather, his mantle/blanket would be rolled up and strapped on top of the crossbar. For every eight legionnaires there followed a mule with a tent and 'group-equipment'. Among the personal equipment was a small millstone to grind grain: standard rations not in the least because it stocks so well for extended periods.

Modern soldiers carry a pack on the back with a change of clothing and eating utensils, balanced by a bedroll (sleeping bag and tent-half + one collapsible tentpole) in front. Shoulder-straps connect the two, and neither is attached to the body in any other way then being hung over the shoulders. If they toss the bedroll over their head, they drop the entire load. Instead of the bedroll (you don`t carry your blanket, you wear it! ), you can carry a small pack with more compact (heavier) equipment in front and a larger pack with more bulky goods on the back.

In (parts of?) Asia, backpacks are traditionally not carried by bands over the shoulders, but by a band over the forehead. Extremely easy to ditch, and as such maybe not so practical in areas where you have to do a lot of branch avoiding - like woods - but still...

Since your character is a ranger, essentially a warrior who should be able to spring into action without notice, and not a coolie, tied to his load, consider it a roleplay opportunity to work something out. Actual practicality is much more impressive than having all the right toys.

From your cold, dead, hands. Seriously, better to survive without than to die with it. The essentials (knife, tinderbox, money) you carry on your person, of course, in pouches and such.

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IRL: Edwin Hofstra

- mostly crewing at the moment

Hes got a bow so he can hunt anything he needs to eat and his woodland skills will provide him with vegetables.

Why would he need rope? Is he really bad at climbing?

Erm all he needs to actualy carry is therefore a tinderbox (if he's crap and can't make fire from twigs) and a waterskin.

Hardly a lot of kit.

(Even if your crap and phys rep it with a lighter and a bottle of volvic)