Admit it. The term “LARP,” short for Live Action Role Playing, has made you chuckle a little over the years. It has been portrayed in ridiculous ways in film, from 1982’s "Mazes and Monsters" to "Role Models" in 2008. But for thousands of players, it’s much more than kids hitting each other with sticks in backyards. It's a sport, it’s an art, it’s a social outlet, it’s a showcase for their creativity and competitiveness.
Still not on board? Then listen to this episode of Under Rocks where we met up with members of the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society, representing several northern Illinois chapters, or “realms,” as they battled in a public park in Kane County one sunny July afternoon.
Interested in a deeper dive? Check out Belegarth’s Realm Finder, which includes chapters in Rockford, Aurora, Rochelle, and Northern Illinois University. And don't miss our action-packed preview video!
Thanks to our generous guides for this episode, including Jeff “Mekoot Silo” Hamilton, Pippin, Eagan, and the rest of the Belegarth warriors. As always, kudos to the Under Rocks crew Spencer Tritt, Jared Ortega, Susan Stephens, and most of all, Dan Libman for taking the hits for this story.
Under Rocks celebrates the quirky, compelling, and just plain odd people, places, and events in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. If you have a bright idea for an episode, let us know at rocks@niu.edu. Under Rocks is produced by WNIJ at Northern Illinois University.
