Marras – Post-apocalyptic drama

Marras is a Nordic larp for 24 players set in post-apocalyptic Finland less than a year after the world has been devastated by a global pandemic. Marras tells a story of loss and regret, about people who are struggling to survive mentally and physically in a quiet and desolate land. The genre of the larp is post-apocalyptic drama. The game has been run twice: first in July 2015 and second time in August 2016.

Design

Marras lasts for approximately 42 hours and is mostly played in a linear 360 environment. In addition, the game uses an on-site meta room (black box) to recreate characters’ past and to highlight the main themes of the game: loss and regret. This is supported by designating each player one supporting (NPC) character representing a close person (close relative, friend, partner etc.) who has died in the preceding pandemic. Player characters are developed together with the supporting players to ensure the significance of the relationships.

Marras is divided into three acts with differing themes: Act 1 Hope, Act 2 Loss, and Act 3 Moral issues and future choices. The themes are highlighted both by GM-created content in the linear game and by playing scenes between player and supporting characters in the meta room. For example, the scenes in the second act (Loss) can include supporting characters’ death scenes.

Documentation

Photos from the first run (10.-12.7.2015) taken by photographer Tuomas Puikkonen can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darkismus/sets/72157655872184968

Photos from the second run (5.-7.8.2016, also by Tuomas) can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darkismus/albums/72157672744005831.