Not a real doctor
@simonb.bsky.social
Lapsed-writer, ex-DJ, wants to be an academic again (is, in fact a real doctor) , old goth, larp designer, neurodiverse like light through a prism, poet before sunrise. Poster-child for burnout (Complex, Brooding, Challenging)
Pinned
Not a real doctor
@simonb.bsky.social
· Nov 20
“Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” (Kafka)
▶️larp
➡️Nordic
➡️Theory
➡️Writing
➡️Blockbuster
➡️Art
➡️Old-school UK system heavy base 6
▶️larp
➡️Nordic
➡️Theory
➡️Writing
➡️Blockbuster
➡️Art
➡️Old-school UK system heavy base 6
A photo taken at Conscience. It was a difficult larp for me to play but I learned so much from it. (There's pretty much a chapter on it in my thesis.) It contained one of the best and one of the worst scenes of my 40+ year larping career.
November 19, 2025 at 10:03 AM
A photo taken at Conscience. It was a difficult larp for me to play but I learned so much from it. (There's pretty much a chapter on it in my thesis.) It contained one of the best and one of the worst scenes of my 40+ year larping career.
This weekend the incredibly talented team at @wonderlarp.bsky.social are running Convention of Thorns
which I hope everyone in the larpospehere already knows about. A crossing of streams between VtM and the Nordic form
www.conventionofthorns.com
which I hope everyone in the larpospehere already knows about. A crossing of streams between VtM and the Nordic form
www.conventionofthorns.com
Convention of Thorns | Vampire the Masquerade larp in Poland
Convention of Thorns is a licensed Vampire the Masquerade larp (live action role play) in Poland set in the World of Darkness. It is an official Paradox Interactive event created by Wonderlarp. Partic...
www.conventionofthorns.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:31 AM
This weekend the incredibly talented team at @wonderlarp.bsky.social are running Convention of Thorns
which I hope everyone in the larpospehere already knows about. A crossing of streams between VtM and the Nordic form
www.conventionofthorns.com
which I hope everyone in the larpospehere already knows about. A crossing of streams between VtM and the Nordic form
www.conventionofthorns.com
This was where I learned the fundamentals of the form. Writing meaningful linears ("Dungeons") week after week and somtimes getting through two characters in a single day while playing
Labyrinthe LARP, 1987.
Lady waiting at the bus stop looks familiar in a 1980s way...
Lady waiting at the bus stop looks familiar in a 1980s way...
November 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
This was where I learned the fundamentals of the form. Writing meaningful linears ("Dungeons") week after week and somtimes getting through two characters in a single day while playing
Reposted by Not a real doctor
Palestinian larp needs our help. During the last 15 years, a vibrant larp culture has grown in Palestine, together with the Palestinian larp organization Bait Byout. Israeli repression affects all areas of Palestinian larp, including larp. Donate if you can
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
Support larp in Palestine!
The ongoing occupation places a severe strain on all aspects of Palestinian life and freedom. Needless to say, the situation has deteriorated severly during the recent years of active war in the Ga…
birthoflarp.wordpress.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Palestinian larp needs our help. During the last 15 years, a vibrant larp culture has grown in Palestine, together with the Palestinian larp organization Bait Byout. Israeli repression affects all areas of Palestinian larp, including larp. Donate if you can
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
Happy Halloween.
One day remaining for a chance to get a physical copy of the Scriptbook for the larp Gothic for only €22
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
One day remaining for a chance to get a physical copy of the Scriptbook for the larp Gothic for only €22
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
October 31, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Happy Halloween.
One day remaining for a chance to get a physical copy of the Scriptbook for the larp Gothic for only €22
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
One day remaining for a chance to get a physical copy of the Scriptbook for the larp Gothic for only €22
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
Francesca Mills' Ophelia at the National Theatre (The English one) was heartbreakingly brilliant. I really enjoyed the whole production. Fascinating edits to the script taking the runtime down to sub two and a half hours. Hamlet remains one of the greatest plays.
October 30, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Francesca Mills' Ophelia at the National Theatre (The English one) was heartbreakingly brilliant. I really enjoyed the whole production. Fascinating edits to the script taking the runtime down to sub two and a half hours. Hamlet remains one of the greatest plays.
One of the scenography twists from Gothic was replacing some of the props with others when the players were not looking. Everything here is edible, including the worms!
October 28, 2025 at 1:29 PM
One of the scenography twists from Gothic was replacing some of the props with others when the players were not looking. Everything here is edible, including the worms!
Moth the cat would like more food, for next door's cat to stop attacking her, for the rain to stop, constant attention in the way of strokes, and to be right up in my face.
I would like a second cup of coffee.
I would like a second cup of coffee.
October 28, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Moth the cat would like more food, for next door's cat to stop attacking her, for the rain to stop, constant attention in the way of strokes, and to be right up in my face.
I would like a second cup of coffee.
I would like a second cup of coffee.
I think food design at larps can be a very important part of the experience, how about you? If you have an opinion, why not fill out this survery which will help an article for the 2026 KP book
Got opinions about larp food? And +/- 10 minutes to spare?
Help me out and fill out my survey! 🤗
forms.gle/1gf8U2ocQQXQ...
Help me out and fill out my survey! 🤗
forms.gle/1gf8U2ocQQXQ...
Larp food survey
Hi! I'm Marijke, also known as Mary sometimes, and I am conducting a larp food survey as part of a KP article I'm writing this year.
I love cooking in-game food at larps, and talking about food! Som...
forms.gle
October 27, 2025 at 6:21 AM
I think food design at larps can be a very important part of the experience, how about you? If you have an opinion, why not fill out this survery which will help an article for the 2026 KP book
I sat on the plane,
still half in character.
The flight attendant said, “Would you like anything?”
I said, “Only absolution.”
She said, “We’ve got nuts.”
I said, “Close enough.”
still half in character.
The flight attendant said, “Would you like anything?”
I said, “Only absolution.”
She said, “We’ve got nuts.”
I said, “Close enough.”
October 16, 2025 at 6:56 AM
I sat on the plane,
still half in character.
The flight attendant said, “Would you like anything?”
I said, “Only absolution.”
She said, “We’ve got nuts.”
I said, “Close enough.”
still half in character.
The flight attendant said, “Would you like anything?”
I said, “Only absolution.”
She said, “We’ve got nuts.”
I said, “Close enough.”
I wrote some code that rolls dice and simulates rounds of combat. I can run a battle a million times and get a report on the percentage change of success, character death, or tpk.
I know nothing about game design, but my neurodiversity ia apparently showing.
I know nothing about game design, but my neurodiversity ia apparently showing.
October 14, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I wrote some code that rolls dice and simulates rounds of combat. I can run a battle a million times and get a report on the percentage change of success, character death, or tpk.
I know nothing about game design, but my neurodiversity ia apparently showing.
I know nothing about game design, but my neurodiversity ia apparently showing.
"Notification of Submission Acceptance: 1 September 2025" and other works of 21st Century Fantasy Fiction
October 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
"Notification of Submission Acceptance: 1 September 2025" and other works of 21st Century Fantasy Fiction
I went in to yesterday's Finnish lesson thinking I had prepared. I had. Sadly I had prepared the wrong material. Fortunately I turned things round in the last 15 minutes by translating something about bears and 'winter dreams' (hibernatioon)
October 13, 2025 at 8:01 AM
I went in to yesterday's Finnish lesson thinking I had prepared. I had. Sadly I had prepared the wrong material. Fortunately I turned things round in the last 15 minutes by translating something about bears and 'winter dreams' (hibernatioon)
A quiet Friday morning on the edge of Fitzrovia, nothing but the drone of the a/c and the tapping of my keyboard and, inexplicably, the sound of running water; this is probably suboptimal.
October 10, 2025 at 6:38 AM
A quiet Friday morning on the edge of Fitzrovia, nothing but the drone of the a/c and the tapping of my keyboard and, inexplicably, the sound of running water; this is probably suboptimal.
We've cut the price of the the script book for Gothic to approx €22 (that is €10 off) until November 1st. In order to get a copy though you have to perform a strange ritual. This involves being signed in to DriveThruRPG AND setting the sinister sigil that shows adult content.
October 4, 2025 at 5:39 AM
We've cut the price of the the script book for Gothic to approx €22 (that is €10 off) until November 1st. In order to get a copy though you have to perform a strange ritual. This involves being signed in to DriveThruRPG AND setting the sinister sigil that shows adult content.
I have updated my profile pic for October. I think @pummell.bsky.social took this one at WGT. The t-shirt is supposed to read 'Too Fast to live ...'
October 1, 2025 at 7:58 AM
I have updated my profile pic for October. I think @pummell.bsky.social took this one at WGT. The t-shirt is supposed to read 'Too Fast to live ...'
Sometimes my brain unironically has thoughts like "Maybe I should write a TRPG, but live on Twitch." The thing is I don't need any more self-destructive hubris in my life right now.
So instead I will do a podcast about it.
So instead I will do a podcast about it.
September 30, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Sometimes my brain unironically has thoughts like "Maybe I should write a TRPG, but live on Twitch." The thing is I don't need any more self-destructive hubris in my life right now.
So instead I will do a podcast about it.
So instead I will do a podcast about it.
Yesterday I took a train down to the South coast in order to eat Thai food by the sea. Reading Russo's 'The Celluloid Closet' because this larp design requires research into the 'cinematic history of sissies.' Most of the examples are from the 30s and 60s but I suspect B Movies of the 50s hold more.
September 22, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Yesterday I took a train down to the South coast in order to eat Thai food by the sea. Reading Russo's 'The Celluloid Closet' because this larp design requires research into the 'cinematic history of sissies.' Most of the examples are from the 30s and 60s but I suspect B Movies of the 50s hold more.
I deleted my academia edu account yesterday because of their new terms of use.
I hope that whoever came up with their product strategy starts Monday morning like a teenager who has not done their homework walking to school in the rain with a heavy backback of guilt.
I hope that whoever came up with their product strategy starts Monday morning like a teenager who has not done their homework walking to school in the rain with a heavy backback of guilt.
September 21, 2025 at 5:27 AM
I deleted my academia edu account yesterday because of their new terms of use.
I hope that whoever came up with their product strategy starts Monday morning like a teenager who has not done their homework walking to school in the rain with a heavy backback of guilt.
I hope that whoever came up with their product strategy starts Monday morning like a teenager who has not done their homework walking to school in the rain with a heavy backback of guilt.
It has only been 12 weeks since we last went on this ride ...
Here is a reminder that in, role-playing terms, bleed is just bleed. It is neither good nor bad, simply an artefact of intensity and imagination. When we imagine something hard enough our brain can process it as though it is real. For example imagine eating food and it is possible that you will
September 14, 2025 at 1:51 PM
It has only been 12 weeks since we last went on this ride ...
More truth from Jonaya.
I don't know what US designer needs to hear this, but Nordic larp is not an excuse to psychologically damage your players and call it art. That's not Nordic larp. It's also deeply unethical. If you're going to make a harrowing game, please PLEASE learn what the aftermath for the players can be.
September 14, 2025 at 7:54 AM
More truth from Jonaya.
I am spending my Sunday going through the pitches for the 2026 KP Book. There are a lot of brilliant proposals in here. Some of them won't get written, it is always the way, people drop out or realise that the pitch and the research don't join up. I had one a few years ago that involved
September 14, 2025 at 6:53 AM
I am spending my Sunday going through the pitches for the 2026 KP Book. There are a lot of brilliant proposals in here. Some of them won't get written, it is always the way, people drop out or realise that the pitch and the research don't join up. I had one a few years ago that involved
(I'm engaging with geopolitics elsewhere) here, instead: larp theory rejects the fixed script: instead, it gives players a framework for improvisation, a set of tools for creating danger , calibration exercises, and trust structures.
larp is not a composition performed, but a performance composed.
larp is not a composition performed, but a performance composed.
September 11, 2025 at 7:20 AM
(I'm engaging with geopolitics elsewhere) here, instead: larp theory rejects the fixed script: instead, it gives players a framework for improvisation, a set of tools for creating danger , calibration exercises, and trust structures.
larp is not a composition performed, but a performance composed.
larp is not a composition performed, but a performance composed.
The is one week left to send in your idea for the KP Book 2026. This is an annual publication of thoughts and opinions, theory and practice, about larp, which started in 2001!
nordiclarp.org/wiki/Knutepu...
The KP Book 2026 and its theme "Season of Larp" is waiting for you!
nordiclarp.org/wiki/Knutepu...
The KP Book 2026 and its theme "Season of Larp" is waiting for you!
Knutepunkt-books - Nordic Larp Wiki
nordiclarp.org
September 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
The is one week left to send in your idea for the KP Book 2026. This is an annual publication of thoughts and opinions, theory and practice, about larp, which started in 2001!
nordiclarp.org/wiki/Knutepu...
The KP Book 2026 and its theme "Season of Larp" is waiting for you!
nordiclarp.org/wiki/Knutepu...
The KP Book 2026 and its theme "Season of Larp" is waiting for you!