General Overview

A typical Wyvern Rising event begins Friday evening and continues uninterrupted until Sunday.

The camp facilities usually include cabins (non-heated) and bathrooms and showers with hot water. All persons attending an event must be registered members of The Wyvern Group, and have paid the applicable camp fees. Players are encouraged to arrive early to select a cabin and settle in. Registration at the Logistics cabin could take up to thirty minutes depending on the number of players arriving. At registration players will receive their character cards and appropriate skill tags. All vehicles must be removed to the parking area prior to the start of the game. The game directors will announce “Game On” to begin play. Game play continues day and night through Sunday. All players must check out at logistics before leaving. At checkout, players turn in character cards and other miscellaneous materials. Game play will only be halted due to a serious emergency. All players will be in game for the entire duration of the event. A player should only go out-of-game (OOG) if injured, ill, or instructed to do so by a game director. Any injuries or illnesses should be reported to Logistics immediately. Otherwise, players are subject to game events and effects, even when sleeping.

Persons who are out of game must wear white headbands to make this known to other players.

This is simply a strip of white cloth tied around the head. Persons who are OOG may not interact with in game characters or items. If you see someone wearing a white headband you must ignore that person and act as though they were not there.

The only exception to this rule is in the case of a “dead” character that is seeking a cleric for resurrection. When your character dies you must don a bright orange headband because you are now a spirit and therefore OOG. Clerics may react to these spirits according to the rules for Dying, Death, and Resurrection.

Period 1 begins at Game On and ends at 3:00pm on Saturday. Period 2 begins at 3:00 pm Saturday and continues until game end on Sunday. When a new period begins, your ENDurance, DEXterity, and PREsence energies are renewed. In addition, spells and prayers are renewed according to the rules for spells and prayers.

Throughout the event we try to maintain the illusion of a medieval/fantasy world.

Therefore, to the best of our ability, modern items are discarded in favour of a medieval substitute. Costuming should reflect this environment. Lighting is managed by torches, candles, and lanterns. Flashlights are allowed only if the lens is appropriately covered with a red or amber gel to simulate torchlight. Players are advised not to carry soda cans or other products with obviously modern wrappers.

The game directors and staff will portray non-player characters (NPC’s), including monsters and miscellaneous townsfolk, for player characters (PC’s) to interact with.

Each event will have several plots or story lines in which characters may participate. It is up to each player whether they want to become deeply involved in a given plot, or just live a ‘normal’ life like the other common citizens. Points are awarded for good role-playing and cabin decoration. These role-playing points (RP) may later be converted for additional character Build points.

Safety

It is always important to remain safe during the event. The Wyvern LLC takes great care to provide a safe and fun environment for all that attend. Keep the following in mind during the event.

First Aid Safety

Accidents happen, and it is extremely important that you report any injury to a Staff Member, Director, or Marshal immediately.  There are 2 First Aid kits on site at all times, one in Logistics and one in the Kitchen.  We are also in contact with the Hickory Run Rangers in case of severe emergencies. We will always place your safety over everything else, so please do not be afraid to communicate with us.

Wildlife Safety

Wildlife encounters will inevitably occur at  events, and while most of these encounters are harmless, occasionally you will encounter animals who can be very dangerous. If at any time you aren’t sure whether a sound you hear in the camp is another player, NPC, or a wild animal, you are encouraged to ask ‘Are you in game?’ If you are asked such a question, you must respond clearly, before resuming your actions. Failure to respond to an out-of-game safety question will result in disciplinary action.

In order to avoid encouraging wildlife activity close to the player cabins, please do not keep any food or strong-scented products in your cabin. If you do keep toiletries with strong scents, please keep them sealed tightly in their original packaging, within a plastic bag, that is then placed inside your tote or Duffel bag. All food should be taken to the Mess Hall and placed in the cooler behind the kitchen. In the event that you observe any dangerous animals anywhere in the camp (bears, coyotes, big cats), you must report the sighting to a Marshal, Staff Member, or Director as soon as you are able to.

Fire Safety

Fires are only permitted in fireplaces or already-existing fire rings. If Hickory Run declares a fire ban, you will be informed at opening ceremonies. If you miss opening, please ask a Marshal, Staff Member, or Director whether it is safe to start a fire in one of the aforementioned areas prior to doing so.

Use of candles & open flames is prohibited. Tiki torches may be used outside, but should be clear of any branches or brush, as well as placed at least 5 to 10 feet from any structure.

What to Bring

For your weekend at Wyvern Rising, it’s important to be as prepared as possible. You will be at a campsite in Hickory Run State Park, located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The weather can change abruptly, bringing cold and precipitation. The following is a sample list of things normally brought by players to events:

  • Sleeping Bag/Blankets
  • Pillows
  • Camp Mat/Cot (there are no mattresses at Hickory Run, the beds are wooden)
  • Hygiene Products(Deodorant, Soap, Toothbrush/Toothpaste, Contacts/Contact Solution, Personal Wipes/ Body Powder)
  • Towel
  • Any necessary medications prescribed to you, as well as OTC products for allergies, pain relief, or other things that can help make you more comfortable throughout the weekend.
  • Flashlight with extra batteries (NOTE: Unless something provides you the ability to use an unaltered flashlight, all flashlights used in game need to be covered with an amber or red film to better imitate torchlight)
  • Water
  • Food
  • Pens
  • Extra Underclothes
  • NPC clothing (black shirt/black pants)
  • Extra socks (4-6 pairs recommended)
  • Costuming
  • Armor
  • Weapons (No real weapons allowed)/ Shields
  • Spell Packets
  • In-game items and props
  • Bed-sheets or tapestries to hang over windows for privacy
  • Thumbtacks
  • Gloves
  • Thermals
  • Hot Hands or any alternative brand of hand/feet warmers
  • Waterproof shoes or boots

All cabins are unheated and many do not have electricity. There are a few core buildings that provide electricity. Please plan accordingly.

Camp Cleanup

Hickory Run Management requires us to check out of camp by noon on Sunday. To accommodate this, we will be halting game play at 8:00 AM on Sunday and announcing our closing ceremonies. To expedite our clean-up procedures, we have created a Task List that details the different clean-up duties needed to get the camp taken care of prior to the early check-out time.

During check-in, when you sign up for your NPC shift, you will also pick a task off of the list. This task must be completed prior to your exit from camp and signed off on by a Marshal, Staff Member, or Director in order to earn your build for the weekend. If you leave Saturday night, we will have duties available for those who exit the camp early, which can be completed prior to you leaving. As with our NPC shifts, if you do not complete this, you do not earn your Build.

Everyone who participates in Wyvern Rising is expected to assist with cleanup, not only to expedite our cleaning time, but to provide a fair environment to all.

After closing ceremonies, you should pack all of your personal belongings and move them to your vehicle. Once you have emptied and swept your cabin, you will start on your cleanup task. The faster we can get cleaned up and get out of camp, the faster we can all potentially gather for lunch somewhere to hang out and talk about the event!