At this Larp we deal with addiction as a minor theme, and when portraying it we want to avoid hurtful stereotypes. So we made a small QnA to help you portray addiction in a way that works with dramatic roleplaying and the representation of addiction.
What addiction isn’t
Addiction is not about chasing the biggest high.
While addicts might become numb to the dosage they are used to and therefore seek a bigger high to get their needs met, it’s not about chasing the highest of highs possible.
What can cause addiction?
Addiction can come from a lack of human needs.
For example: lack of achievement or depression can be substituted with alcohol.
How can we larp with addiction?
We have a simple system you can use.
First we establish what your Character is addicted to, and then we establish what needs that addiction substitutes. That means that when your Character has a specific emotional need it will seek out its addiction to fulfill that need.
Can addiction be cured?
At this larp, no. It can be suppressed, quite successfully, mostly through having your emotional needs met.
What addictions are part of this game?
At this larp there are two kinds of addicts, Diablerie addicts and Blood addicts.
Most often Diablerie addicts perform Diablerie to get a sense of achievement and control, something that can be in short order in the Undying Society.
On the other hand Blood addicts drink Vampiric Blood to get a feeling of safety and comfort in their lives, to counteract the paranoia and get a feeling of belonging.
What about real life addictions?
This larp is filled with enough problems that we do not want to include real life addictions into the rules. If you as the player want to play with real life addictions, come by the Storytellers Room so we can talk about it.
Then why this guide?
Again we do not want to give you a false sense of what an addiction might look like and we do think it’s a valuable part of the dark and grim story we are presenting.
Where did you get your knowledge about addiction?
This version of addiction comes from personal experience.
Vampire: The Ambitious 