Ask people why they LARP, and they usually answer roughly the same. The most common answer is their own form of “because it’s fun” or “because my friends do it” and both of those answers are great. Did you know there are actual benefits to LARPing in addition? Examining LARP shows there are many benefits to […]
Tag Archives: Role-Playing
Actually, It’s About Ethics in Media Consumption
“ Anyone who has ever been part of a subculture knows the bright red sting of controversy. Sometimes the controversy is low stakes like the general fan rejection of Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition. Sometimes controversies go to the core of a community’s values like the ongoing controversy about whitewashing in Hollywood, and more specifically, […]
Crash Course in Terminology for LGBTQ People and Characters: 5 Things To Keep In Mind
Article is Reposted from High Level Games and Posted to Keep on the Heathlands with permission from the Author. Since HLG is interested in promoting ways in which we can make gaming experiences more inclusive for all players, I’m here to teach you a thing or two about how to do that for LGBTQ folks. […]
OFF LIMIT THEMES? SOCIAL CONTRACT – PART 5
Welcome back to the final installment of this series. If you have been reading each of these much thanks! The topic for this week would not be the last thing you discuss with your group , but will be discussed multiple times during this whole process. So, the topic I want to cover in the final […]
SOCIAL CONTRACT PART 3: WHAT GAME WILL THE GROUP RUN?
Welcome back! Last weeks article! This week we finally cover the all-important question of what game the group will sit down and play. For me this mainly comes down to knowing the amount of player “buy-in” that each person is willing to give for the game. This buy-in will vary between each game. Some games require […]
THIS ONE IS ROOK: HOW GAMING HELPS ME EXPRESS MY IDENTITY
The Neonates and Ancilla of Atlanta sat around sharing their life stories. Florence, the young Harpy turned to the Elder Nosferatu in the room. “What about you?” Florence asked the Elder who was roosting in a chair across from the conversation. “This one is Rook.” Said the Nosferatu. An awkward silence followed […]
IS THIS REAL LIFE? NO, IT’S JUST FANTASY – CHECK YOUR CRUSADES AT THE DOOR
*Note, all opinions are the opinions of their respective Authors and may not represent the opinion of the Editor or any other Author of Keep On the Heathlands. In the future, this note will append all articles. Many of us, I dare say even most of us, indulge in role-playing games as a cheap […]
Invisible Sun, a Study in the Tension Between Accessibility in Price and Design
Life is a pure flame, and we live by an Invisible Sun within us. – Sir Thomas Browne The quote above is credited by Monte Cook games as an inspirational source for their new game Invisible Sun. Invisible Sun is a highly experimental RPG that includes elements of board gaming, formalized rules for downtime sessions, […]
EMBRACING MINORITIES IN GAMING
Like many of us, gamers, I have been playing role-playing games since I was twelve years old. Unlike many of us, I am Latino and my first GM was black. From early on, race and ethnicity have played a large role in my gaming, either consciously or unconsciously. A few years ago this topic came […]
HOW PLAYING A HERO SAVED MY LIFE or HOW I WENT FROM LIVING IN MY CAR TO GRADUATE SCHOOL
I’m sure some people are going to think the title of this article is hyperbole, and in some way it is, because I have no idea where I would have gone without gaming. There is a strong possibility I’d have slipped into a serious depression and not be here today. In my teens I found […]