In 2 weeks time, the event team will be onsite getting ready to open Five Oaths’ first event of 2023: A Season of Smiling. Tickets are still on sale– Make sure you have yours, whether you’re monstering or playing! The event team have a few updates on Five Oaths for the next event:
New Character Submission Deadlines
We’re welcoming new characters for our upcoming event- To ensure we have time to get them reviewed and approved by our plot team before entering the game, characters are being accepted until 23.59, May 5th (one week before the game starts). You can find character templates in our updated New Player Guide, and characters can be built and submitted for free via our Player Database.
The above deadline also applies for existing character restats– If you have not submitted your new Species Feat, please do so ASAP.
Downtime Update
Downtimes are currently being processed and will be available in advance of the event. There has been a notable uptick in invalid downtime actions this downtime period- This ranges from resource transfers and crafting that cannot take place due to insufficient ingredients in the character’s inventory to actions being attempted in places that cannot support them (for example, trying to make potions in a location without an Alchemical lab).
This has resulted in 2 updates. Firstly, we will be extending a one-time amnesty on invalid actions this downtime. For example, if you are lacking an ingredient to craft an item due to not getting what you were expecting from another character, the crafting will still succeed. We have also amended some downtimes to ensure they happen in a place which permits them to happen.
Secondly- Going forward, all downtimes will begin in the location the band were at the end of the event in uptime. For example, the Band is operating out of Trágráig this event and so all downtimes will begin there. Previously we had allowed a choice of where to begin- This has led to a level of expanding complexity that has contributed to the above issue of invalid downtime actions. We will continue to review the downtime process over the 2023 Season and will communicate any future changes ahead of time.
A Note on Costuming at Five Oaths Events
Word has reached the event team about incidents of players being told that aspects of their costume is inappropriate, due to their overall styling or the materials used in its creation. In this setting there is no such thing as ‘era-appropriate’ costuming, as it is a fantasy game. Costumes do not need to be hand-sewn, made of linen, hemp and wool, or otherwise be ‘era appropriate’.
The same goes for makeup: Species briefs allow for a degree of self-expression that is core to the larp experience, and it is not up to the playerbase to police the quality of others’ makeup. What matters is that a good-faith attempt is made to conform to the species brief, and that it is identifiable which species you are in the field.
We hope that all of our players aspire towards a high quality of costuming, but bullying or shaming someone for their kit is never acceptable. Constructive criticism is entirely valid, but when it comes to whether a piece of costume is game-appropriate the event team reserves that decision for themselves.
If you are concerned about the appropriateness of a player’s costume, or whether an item you want to use is appropriate, seek out a referee in the field, or contact us directly at info@fiveoaths.com.