NERO LARP Origins 2005 Main

More than a dozen NERO Chapters are transforming the Hyatt Regency Ballroom (Hyatt 3) into an Interactive Live Adventure Stadium complete with an Interactive Lounge (Tavern), Live Adventures, Sword Fighting Tournaments, Saturday Award Ceremony, and so much more. See the Tentative NERO Stadium Layout at the Hyatt Regency.

Who: Everyone is invited to participate in all of the Events, and multiple times. NERO International has teamed up with several very special game companies and merchandise vendors at Origins to bring these spectacular events to convention goers – and to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation. See the NERO Chapter Owner and Staff List Here:

Edhellen Armoury	www.edhellen.com
Mongoose Publishing	www.mongoosepublishing.com
Knighthawk Armoury	www.latex-weaponry.com/
The Live Adventures Company	www.NotJustSwords.com
Sovereign Media	www.sovhomestead.com
Novablade Studios	www.novablade.com
Renaissance Magazine	www.renaissancemagazine.com
NERO International...	www.nerolarp.com
NWA Green Mountain	www.NWAGReenMountian.net

What: Players can relax in a comfortable seat and read Realms of Fantasy Magazine,

play games of chance, solve puzzles and riddles, go on adventures to defeat adversaries and solve mysteries, combine raw materials to create the equipment and gear needed by the adventurers, or trade rare gems and other commodities with traders and merchants from far off lands. Where will you spend your relaxation time? What will you do this weekend? Come be a part of the next generation of gaming - and Live The Adventure! NERO is presenting The Interactive Tavern, medieval themed Live Adventures, foam Sword Fighting Competitions to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation of Ohio, and the first national NERO Member Awards and Recognition Program celebration. See the NERO® Description At Origins Expo Here!

When: The NERO Events will begin 10am on Thursday June 30, 2005 and run until 10pm each night, ending with a grand award ceremony and meet n greet on Saturday night beginning at 8pm that everyone is invited to.

Where: Columbus Ohio - The Hyatt Regency Hotel, Grand Ballroom - 3^rd floor.

How: To sign up for any one of these spectacular events, you can walk in and sign up for one of the heats, at anytime at the convention, or you can go to the Origins expo web site and purchase a 4-day badge and the NERO Event tickets through the online system. Tell NERO you are coming by clicking here.

Cost: Half-Price Admission for NERO® Members – NERO members will receive a

discount of 50% on the admission fee of the 4-Day Badge. They can pay $30.00 at the door at the convention or purchase an Origins Badge online. If at the Door, Bring This Sheet with you. If bought online, the refund of half the amount will be given to all NERO members who show their member Card and whose name appears on the NERO Member list provided by NERO to Origins Admin. Half-price reimbursements will be made onsite from the Customer Service desk. Prices for each NERO Event are $3 and $6 as found below.

Sword Fighting Practice Rings: There are practice rings in the Live Tavern and in the Sword Tournament room, which, for safety reasons, every contestant is required to visit to be given brief orientation and practice before entering into the ring with another contestant.

1) Live Adventures: New and continuing

players are welcome to experience all the fun and excitement of Live Adventures within the world of Avalon. Meet the Characters that comprise the World of Tyrra and the Continent of Avalon, complete with colorful costumes, props, and décor. Live Adventures present a mystery scenario where the participants must decipher the hints and clues, and, optionally, defeat mythological beasts with intelligence and wit or foam swords (optional) and magical spells (optional), and to collect treasure such as gold, silver, adventuring equipment, and magical items along the way. With several different adventures to choose from, Adventurers are encouraged to come back again and again. Set out on the path of adventure Thursday through Saturday at 10:00 a.m., Noon, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. $6.00 per adventure; includes admission to the Interactive Tavern.

Those who are new to live adventures will enjoy three of our longest running

adventures – The Minotaur's Magic Sword©, The Shattered Gravestones©, and The Quest of the Ghost King©. All three Live Adventures are specifically geared for new players, include a wide variety of role-play and interactions, require no previous adventuring knowledge, and offers a taste of the wonders that await them at NERO® Live Adventures™ nationwide.

Experienced Adventurers, will find themselves embroiled in political role-play and or life threatening combat situations (combat is optional at NERO) against mythological beasts and intelligent adversary’s that will make ones blood rise.

2) The Interactive Tavern, also called The Live Adventures Tavern, is a relaxing environment made to look, and feel, like a medieval-style tavern (No Alcohol allowed). Looking for a place to sit and relax, read Realms of Fantasy Magazine or to chat with your friends and meet new people? No matter what you prefer, this is the place to come and enjoy.

Here, you can encounter the many cultures and characters of Avalon. Each of the NERO Chapters in attendance are presenting the aspects of their in-g

ame lands upon the World of Tyrra and the Continent of Avalon. Attendees can experience the many different races and cultures found within the NERO Live Adventure Game.

Attendees can approach any of the tables that interest them, enjoy games of chance and skill, eyeball treasures, compete in games of skill and chance; watch a noble ceremony, trade in commodities with other merchants, decipher coded messages, play Chess against others, hear the story of your adventure hours after you went on it, practice your sword fighting technique in the practice ring or against others, or maybe converse with the heroes or nobles about the many topics that will sure to be abuzz in the room.

There will be fantastic costumes, face-painting, storytelling, and even a strongman show two times each day! All are welcome to kick back, relax, grab some refreshment, and share the fantasy! The Interactive Tavern is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the Regency Ballroom - food and drink are available for purchase, and all entertainment is free with admission. An entertainment schedule will be posted at the door. $3.00 per day.

Note: Sword Fighting Practice Rings: Open all the time. There are practice rings in the Live Tavern and in the Sword Tournament room, which, for safety reasons, every contestant is required to visit to be given brief orientation and practice before entering into the ring with another contestant.

3) Sword Fighting Competitions: NERO is presenting a Grand Boffer Tournament with 1024 participants, smaller 32-person Novice and Experienced Tournaments, and Challenge Bouts against NERO Sword Fighting Champions and other Sword fighters, within the Interactive Tavern. Runs Every Hour. $6.00 per Tournament, $3 per Champion Challenge Duels

3.A) The Nation’s Largest “Boffer” Sword Tournament: NERO experts will teach you how to sword fight in practice arenas and then you can enter a tournament. Learn from the best, and enjoy yourself thoroughly while doing it! If you ever wanted to learn how to fight safely with a foam Boffer sword, now is your chance. Heats take place in the Hyatt Regency Ballroom on Thursday and Friday at 10:00 a.m., Noon, 2:00, 4:00 6:00, and 8:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and Noon, with the finals at 2:00 p.m. $6.00 per entry.

The Grand Boffer Tournament, with 1024 participants, will have thirty-two 32-person mini-tournaments and a final showdown tournament between the 32 winners, on Saturday afternoon.

Note that NERO is donating $.75 of each ticket from this tournament to the “Make-A-Wish” Foundation of Central Ohio. "Share the Power of a Wish" Support this incredible charity organization that makes dreams come true. Watch the donation chart increase every few hours of the convention as you and your friends participate in the Sword Fighting Competitions.

1024-person Grand Boffer Tournament Prizes: All Grand Boffer Tournament entrants will be given a participation prize with a variety of items from the Sponsors, and a special Certificate of Appreciation from NERO International and Make A Wish Foundation (Sample for web coming by June 20, 2005). Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place in each of the thirty two 32-person tournaments held. The second, and third place winners of the showdown tournament will win Mini-Grand prizes , and the 1st place winner will be crowned 'Sword Fighting Champion of Origins 2005', win prizes from multiple Sponsors, and have an in-game character persona created that will be honored in an in-game article presented nationwide through the internet web site, community forums and paper newsletters.

3.B) Finally, The Sword Fighting Competitions includes an option to become a Member in the Sword Fighters Guild, whereby competitors wins and losses are tracked on the official Sword Fighters Guild website for all to see.

awards NERO Members for their participation within the NERO Organization, including Chapter Owners, Staff, Volunteer/NPC's, and/or Players. NERO members from around the country will be honored for their achievements; medals, trophies, and other acknowledgements will be bestowed. NERO invites everyone to be a part of this special ceremony that has been a long time coming. Come celebrate with the staff, the sponsors, the Tournament Winners, and each other as we celebrate a Wish Come True. Light refreshments will be served. 8:00 p.m to midnight. In the Hyatt Regency Ballroom (Hyatt 3)

· The first people appreciated will be the Chapter Owners and the Staff. Show our appreciation to the NERO chapter Owners and Staff members who helped make Origins happen.

· Formally appreciate the Event & Tournament Sponsors: Here is where we will publicly thank all of the sponsors who helped the NERO chapters and Staff make this spectacular series of events at Origins happen.

· Sword Fighting Tournament Winners Announced: The award ceremony to honor those individuals who won prizes in the Tournament heats and the showdown are applauded for their success!

· The Make A Wish Raffle Giveaway: We will announce the 6 winners of the Make A Wish Raffle. The prize packages include merchandise taken from many of the Vendors at Origins and the Event Sponsors.

· We Would Like to Bestow a Check Upon Make A Wish! GAMA and NERO® will bestow a Check upon the Make A Wish Foundation. We will also toast a thank you to all of the NERO Members who attended and the participants who helped us to Make a Wish Come True.

· Meet ‘N Greet with NERO Owners, Staff, and Sponsors: The majority of the work is done for NERO Owners and Staff, our Vendor Sponsors have some work to do the next day, but after the awards are over NERO Chapter Owners and staff, NERO Sponsors, NERO Members, Tournament Winners, and everyone who attended any NERO related event at Origins are invited to relax with each other and converse for a few hours in a meet n greet environment.

NERO at Origins International Game Expo 2005