Łódź

RPG system: LARP
Participants: 4-6 players

By

Description

**'Łódź'** (pronounced "woo-djh") is a cooperative storytelling Noridc-style larp set in the Łódź ghetto in Poland during 1940, which was established primarily for Jewish and Romani people during WWII. This larp is based on the true story of the ghetto community members, as documented by photographs taken and preserved by ghetto inhabitant Henryk Ross, some of which survived to be exhibited for future generations.

The intent of this larp is not to play to win, but to experience the meaningfulness of community-building and trying to leave a legacy in a challenging atmosphere of uncertainty and potential loss outside of the individual and community's control. While I recognize that there is of course no way for most Intercon attendees to truly understand what the experience of living in the Łódź ghetto must have been like, it's the author's hope that through this larp, players come a little bit closer to imagining what it might have been like to be some of the people captured in Henryk Ross's real-life photographs of the Łódź ghetto as they tried to live 'normal' lives as best they could under heavily oppressive circumstances.

In this larp, players will create their characters during pre-game workshops, who are adult inhabitants of the ghetto and each have meaningful community roles and relationships as developed by the players. The pre-game workshop (about 1 hour total) will include discussion of the historical background of the scenario and paying respect to the real-life inhabitants of the ghetto. The GM will then facilitate a series of workshops wherein players will establish their characters' traits, community roles, and relationships to one another, including a "statues" workshop where groups of 2-3 players will be asked to pose together in a that represents their relationships and a Polaroid photo will be taken of each "statues" group.

During game, players will select and act out a number of scenarios using free-form roleplay however they together choose to interpret those scenarios (e.g. "a wedding"; "a tragedy", "a new arrival"), including choosing the tone and extent of heaviness/lightness of the scenario. At the end of each scenario, the GM will take a Polaroid photo of the scene however players choose to pose to portray it. The photos will be posted on a blackboard in-game. At the end of each round/scene, players will roll one die to determine the fate of the photos which the ghetto community hopes to preserve for future generations. Depending on the outcome of the roll: photos may remain in tact, become partially damaged (a corner cut off), or lost entirely (cut in half). A debriefing of approximately 30mins will follow after the final scenario, which will allow players to discuss their experiences and de-role together.

Historical knowledge of this period is helpful but not required. Players must consent to having Polaroid pictures taken of them in-game, however photos will not be shared outside of the game except with players' express permission. Age 18+ strongly suggested for mature content including overt Holocaust-related themes. Please note there will not be any players who will be portraying Nazi characters, including the GM; the German Nazis who are controlling the ghetto will only exist off-screen throughout this larp to maintain a safer space.

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