Themes

Tradition, social pressure, relationships

The vision of the larp is a contained and quiet playing style. Even though there is plenty of drama underneath the surface, nothing will lead to big dramatic explosions or revolutions in game. Instead we aim for a playing style of quiet looks and where a slammed door says more than a thousand words. Of course you as a larper have the right to go where the larp takes you, but we want to keep the playing style realistic. In the same way you would not stand up and scream at your grandmother during a family dinner we ask you to try to uphold a surface of normalcy despite all the emotions boiling under the surface. We will try to recreate 3 days in the characters life. Days that might be dramatic and overwhelming but still feel reasonable taking into account that life will continue for the characters after the larp ends.

We want to create an experience separated by social class, gender and social contexts such as nationality. This means that your experience will be very different depending on what kind of character you play. You will most likely not be in contact with more than a small part of the other players during play time. This is a feature not a bug. We want your experience to be influenced by the division of gender, class and social roles in this manner. This means that you also will be limited by your language skills off-game in what kind of character you can play. To find out more look under Lanugage and player groups

Gender
The characters are written with the period typical norm in mind. This means that they are written as either male or female, even if a similar person today might have had a different gender expression. The male and female experience at the larp will be different from each other and you are free to apply to play any gender that interests you no matter your off game gender expression. If you are interested in playing a character with a trans or non-binary experience within the confines of the larp setting, let us know in the sign up sheet and we will try and accomodate this.

The larp is Swede-centric despite being played in Denmark and will mostly reflect the Swedish political situation in 1913. However those characters that come from Denmark, Finland, and possibly Norway will also contain aspects about their own home countries in their information.

Lower Class – All

In this group the most important theme is to “lick up, kick down”. The experience will mostly center around ambition, political conflict, racism, and injustice. Subjects such as male or female right to vote, working conditions, and immigration will be big parts of your larp experience. The working class is politically very divided during this time which is also a time of major changes and improvements for the workers. The Social Democratic party has been clear with their position in the suffragette-issue: Sure women can have the vote but all men first, the women have to wait. During 1913 the women’s right to vote is an important political question and petition after petition has been filed in the Swedish main chamber in which only men that are not in debt and has turned 24 years of age are allowed to vote. Meanwhile the thoughts are divided on if women should be allowed to vote at all, and if they should, are the women’s right to vote more important than the socialist work for unions and better working conditions?

Lower Class – Women
In this group the main themes will revolve around the frustrating feeling of being powerless and the fight to get more agency over your own life. It is about being unable to smash a glass ceiling put in place by your statue in life as well as your sex, and trying to navigate a world that is rapidly changing. Do you want to fight for women liberation, or hold on to the safety of the known order of ways? The fight for women’s right will be an important subject as well as the danger of transgression against the morales of the time.

Lower Class – Men
In this group the main themes will be hard work and dreams of reaching further and bettering yourself. Either through hard work, social skills or cheating. The working class liberation will be important. In a time when unions and social democracy is steadily rising in importance and men who are in debt still don’t have the right to vote, the opinions of the working class is divided between if there is room for violence in the fight for liberation or not.

The Finnish Working Class
In this group the theme is about being oppressed, about racism and how it is to be seen as a second grade citizen. It is about the community in ostracization and about being alone in a foreign country where you hardly understand the language. About preserving your own traditions or adapting to the new land.

Upper Class – All

In this group the most important theme will be the facade of control and defending your power from anyone trying to take it from you. Power is not simply measured in financial or formal means but also in control over the family and your circumstances. Subjects like world politics, responsibility, economy, marriage and unsaid words will be a big part of your larp experience.

Upper Class – Women
In this group the main themes will center around wanting to break free from suffocating norms and coming to terms with your position as the ideal bourgeois woman. Sure, conversations can touch upon politics, but mostly these characters are expected to talk about the weather, art, music and the family health. Under the surface the fight stands between different wills, desires and needs that all have to be managed in order to not let the family down. And don’t forget, your honor is shown by the way your house is kept and your servants behavior is in the end your responsibility.

Upper Class – Men
In this group the main themes will be about keeping composure and control. In a time of political instability there is room for serious conversations about the threat of war in Europe, the economical situation and the well-being of the family. Of course there are also other more deeply embedded themes of love, jealousy, competition, and desperation, but none of these things can be shown too openly. The most important thing is to keep up appearances. And never forget, your wife and your daughter’s or sister’s behavior are your responsibility in the end.