Characters
The characters at Bonds Unbroken are designed to give you permission to play remarkable, interesting people within the setting, not to give you pages and pages of backstory to remember. The relationships are perhaps the most important part of the sheet, as they will drive much of your play during the larp.
Most of the characters will be Lightspinners and Wardens, along with a handful of Initiates and Squires. The sign up process will ask you which type of character you’d like to play, as all of them will have different experiences.
Types of character
Playing a Lightspinner
Lightspinners are mages who can change the world itself, and within the Hall of Light they hold all the authority. But many outsiders seek to destroy them, and in battle they are as mortal as anyone else. This interplay of tremendous power and vulnerability is key to who they are.
Their larp will involve navigating both internal and external politics, magic rituals, and making decisions that will determine the fate of the world, all with the support of their Warden.
Playing a Warden
The Wardens are legendary warriors who have dedicated themselves to protecting the great order of Lightspinners. They have a unique perspective on the individual frailty of these mighty mages, and work tirelessly to ensure their safety and sanity.
Their larp will involve honing their skills together, supporting and protecting their Lightspinner, and working with other Wardens to quietly find solutions and compromises that the proud Lightspinners can’t.
Playing an Initiate
Little fish in a big pond, Initiates who pass the gruelling trials will one day dedicate themselves to a Circle and become Lightspinners. For now they must learn the delicate balance of spinning the threads of magic without causing calamity, whilst also trying to shape their own futures.
Their larp will involve lessons from NPC teachers, learning things the Lightspinners can’t, trying to choose a Circle, and navigating the important decision of who they will bond as a Warden.
Playing a Squire
Whether seeking fame and glory as a Warden or hoping to protect one Lightspinner in particular, Squires come to the Hall of Light from all walks of life. There, they must both prove themselves to the Wardens and to a partner who will one day be willing to trust them with their lives.
Their larp will involve training from NPC teachers, building connections with their fellow Squires and Wardens, and jockeying for the attention of Lightspinners or Initiates who they might want to bond.
A note on gender
Because of the curse on men wielding magic, Lightspinner and Initiate characters cannot be male. Wardens can be any gender, and any player can play a character of any gender.
The character’s gender as far as the curse on magic goes is based on self identification – any character who considers himself a man at the time would be unwise to attempt to use magic, but everyone else is safe to do so, even if they were assigned male at birth.
The intention is to create an atmosphere that’s unlike the experience of larps with historical gender roles, with hard power and soft power in different hands, and to make space for affirming narratives for characters who are trans or outside of the gender binary for players who want them.
A note on accessibility
Warden and Squire players need to be able to climb two flights of stairs to reach an upstairs play space, and should be able to jog gently across a room and swing a larp weapon with enough control to fully pull the blow.
If you really want to play a Warden character but don’t meet those requirements, the organisers are happy to talk about how we could adapt a character for you, on the understanding that it would mean losing some of the Warden play and exchanging it for more politics, investigation or relationship play.
The Circles
The Red Circle
The guardians of magic, ensuring its safe and proper use, the Red Circle’s magic is all about sensing and understanding magic itself.
Red Lightspinners hunt down those who might be endangering others with magic, including both other Lightspinners and men who try to use magic despite the curse, to put an end to the threat.
Red Wardens are their firing squad, well versed in the dealing out the ultimate punishment of cutting people off from magic. But because of that, their Lightspinners keep them on a tight leash.
Pick Red for a secret police atmosphere, investigating both other players and what’s going wrong with magic in Lumae, or for hierarchical and messed up bond pairs.
The Yellow Circle
The most effective healers in the world, the Yellow Circle’s magic heals injuries and illnesses, as well as breaking curses.
Yellow Lightspinners make their aid available to the sick and injured, though some might find that aid more costly than others.
Yellow Wardens are competent healers in their own right, sometimes with a knowledge of anatomy or medicine to rival their Lightspinner’s, and they often triage and take less critical cases to let their partner preserve their energy.
Pick Yellow to always be needed in both the martial and mystical events, or for a bond where who’s in charge might switch between the pair depending on the circumstances.
The Green Circle
Once saviours, now soldiers, the Green Circle’s magic affects the physical elements of the world.
Green Lightspinners used to be the front line in times of famine, flood or wildfire, but recently they are mostly walking weapons, able to turn the tide of a battle if they aren’t brought down.
Green Wardens are spotters, logisticians, tacticians, and their Lightspinner’s first and last line of defence in incredibly dangerous situations. A Green Lightspinner might have more than one Warden.
Pick Green to take a high stakes role in battle, or play a bond that’s literally life or death – and might not be restricted to just two people.
The Blue Circle
The Hall of Light’s information gatherers, the Blue Circle’s magic deals with sight and perception.
Blue Lightspinners seek truth above all, whether in the pages of ancient tomes or carrying out perilous stealth missions behind enemy lines.
Blue Wardens might be their Lightspinner’s match or their opposite, enhancing their skills or complementing them to bring them closer to the knowledge they seek.
Pick Blue to be at the centre of the larp’s investigations, or for a bond where you complement your partner well even if you’re very different.
The Purple Circle
Diplomats and mediators, the Purple Circle’s magic deals with thoughts and dreams, though they are often quiet about just what they can do.
Purple Lightspinners are some of the most prized negotiators in Lumae and they are often called in as neutral parties to solve disputes in the corelands.
Purple Wardens might seem to be simple bodyguards or attachés, but they excel at having backdoor conversations or applying quiet pressure to make things go their Lightspinner’s way.
Pick Purple to hobnob with high society and dig deep into people’s psyches, or to play a bond that might be more than it seems.