We’ve heard from volunteers, we’ve heard from game veterans, we’ve heard from new players and from families that LARP. Now it’s time to find out what it’s like to be a vendor in the LARP community!
You know them, you love them, you buy almost all of your gear from them! Please say hello to the staff from Of Science and Swords!
Of Science and Swords was originally a bookstore specialising in SpecFic and Fantasy. When Avi and Jas heard that OS&S was closing their doors in 2010, they decided to purchase the business, and give it new life!
At first, Avi and Jas carried on with maintaining OS&S as a bookstore. It had always been their dream to run a bookshop – Jas speculates that repeatedly watching Black Books might have had something to do with this – but after a couple of years of business, it seemed like the book market wasn’t doing so well in Melbourne. However, customers did seem very interested in all the prop and replica weapons that OS&S had mounted around the shop as decorations. In 2013, Avi and Jas decided to terminate their lease contract for the OS&S premise, but continued to sell LARP gear from their website, https://ofscienceandswords.com.au.
Premise and location have always been a struggle for any business owner, and OS&S in no different. With hundreds upon hundreds of costume, weaponry, and prop options, finding a place to display it all can be a challenge.
Avi and Jas believe that the space they have in warehouse in Oakleigh has paid off. Without the space to store and display stock, it might have been impossible for the business to expand the way it has.
Of Science and Swords stocks inventory from several different suppliers, including Epic Armoury and Calimacil. In fact, Avi is the official representative to Australia for Epic Armoury, and works closely with all suppliers to make sure the community gets exactly what they’re looking for at the best possible prices.
Of Science and Swords also attends conventions across Australia, to connect and provide for the Australian LARP community at large.
Conventions are a fun and stressful thing to attend when you’re working. Driving across country to attend a convention that you don’t get to actually ‘attend’ can really get to you after a while, but Avi, Jas, and their staff believe it’s worth it.
Tom has been working for OS&S for over two years now, and loves every minute of it. Tom likes helping players find what they need to complete their kit, and truly enjoys the happiness it gives the customers when they find that perfect piece for their costume.
Kay and Ash feel much the same as Tom, and enjoy interacting with the community, and making people’s dreams come true – their own dreams included.
Kay, who has been with OS&S since 2011, says she wanted to work for OS&S because she’s a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy, and loved the idea of working with things that interested her so much.
“Working for OS&S is equal parts standard desk job and surreal experience. 15 year old me would never have imagined repairing armour, doing a prosthetic tutorial, explaining how to make fake blood, and then sitting down to adjust stock levels being a normal day’s work.
Ash, who joined the OS&S crew just last April, says that it’s like living a dream.
“It’s great being able to help people find what they’ve always fantasised about having.
Avi and Jasmine have put their heart and soul in the LARP community, and so have their dedicated staff. In our growing community, it’s important for players, volunteers, and vendors to work together to make every game better than the last. Thanks for everything you do, OS&S!
Good afternoon Swordcraftians! Welcome to this week’s Player Spotlight!
This week we’re focusing on what it’s like to be a family that LARPs together.
Enjoying his hobby with him are his three children. His eldest son plays the character Rajahaidan, and his middle daughter plays the character Snow Leopard. His youngest son, Tornado, is not yet old enough to play, but longs for the day he can join his family in glorious battle.
Dayan originally ran with the warband The Sisters of Kira Earta, and toured for some time with The Guardians of the Dawn, before settling into his current warband, The 13th Free Company. Dayan’s eldest son, Rajahaidan, joined him in The 13th Free Company a year ago, and Snow Leopard has taken to the field of battle only a few weeks ago.
Dayan says his role as both a member of The 13th Free Company and as a father has not caused him issues at Swordcraft.
“It really is the best. I can’t wait for my youngest to join in, and he loves the kids events. He really gets into the character and story. Its so very serious for them. It’s also time with the family. Other families go camping, we just add swords and spears to our adventure. It’s also doing things, being in events, making friends, shared cooking, shared meals and the like. It’s a bonding time and its also a sharing time as we have done fund raisers for cancer, local CFA’s groups and other events as time and opportunity presents itself.
Dayan’s advice to other parents looking to get into Swordcraft is to just do it! Dayan, like many other parents at Swordcraft, is happy to be approached by parents looking for advice when it comes to participating and bringing their children into the community. Though you have to be 16 to participate, Swordcraft is very welcoming to families, and at Quest, children have plenty of space to act out their own growing LARP ideas.
“Family and community are big pluses,” Dayan said. “How do you define fun? I’m one of those loitering from about 5.30 on a Friday, chatting to the early arrivals on weekends I don’t have the kids. On weekends I do have the kids, it’s a three hour round trip from the city to Berwick, to collect the kids and back to Carlton to play.
Hello Swordcraftians, and welcome to our first weekly New Player Spotlight! Every week we’re going to get to know a new player or two; their names and possible future characters, as well as what drove them to give Swordcraft a go. Without further ado, please meet our first series of spotlighted new players, Jacob and Shaun.
Both Jacob and Shaun first fielded on the 10th of March and were members of the green militia and red militia respectively.