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Adventure
Roleplaying
Community
Combat
Storytelling
Exploration
Friendship

Join us for…

Adventure
Roleplaying
Community
Combat
Storytelling
Exploration
Friendship
  • February 10, Feb Feast
  • March 1 – 3, Winter Weekend
  • April 5 – 7
  • May 3 – 5
  • May 31 – June 2
  • June 29, Junebilee
    August 2 – 4, Harvest Fest
  • August 30 – September 1
  • September 27 – 29
  • November 1 – 3
  • December 6 – 8

2024
Events

Join Us

2024
Events

  • February 10, Feb Feast
    March 1 – 3, Winter Weekend
    April 5 – 7
    May 3 – 5
    May 31 – June 2
  • June 29, Junebilee
    August 2 – 4, Harvest Fest
    August 30 – September 1
    September 27 – 29
    November 1 – 3
    December 6 – 8
Join Us

New to Kingdoms of Novitas?

Welcome to Kingdoms of Novitas, an immersive historical fantasy LARP born from the passion of players, for players! Our game has been around since 2004, welcoming both seasoned LARPers and those taking their first steps into the LARP world. Whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer, we’ve collected all of the information needed to ensure your weekend with us is unforgettable. So, dive into any of the options below or start exploring our site – your journey to a memorable and awe-inspiring event awaits!

Read our Event Info page which includes all the details you must know to attend – from dates, costs, what garb to wear, and where we’re located!

Meet our amazing players! They’re the ones that bring Kingdoms of Novitas to life. Read about their experience, their tips for new players, and even their favorite in-game moments!

Watch our new player video for an introduction to what awaits you at our game. Learn about how our shifts run, basic combat, magic, and more!

“I’ve never seen a community as open and welcoming as the Novitas crew. When I first started, I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in, but three years later I’ve met some of my closest friends here.”

~Nick B. player since 2016

“I’ve never seen a community as open and welcoming as the Novitas crew. When I first started, I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in, but three years later I’ve met some of my closest friends here.”

~Nick B. player since 2016

The Kind of Game We Offer​

The basic rule of Kingdoms of Novitas is that if it can be physically done, and done safely, you have the ability to do it. We blur the lines between reality and fantasy, offering a unique experience where your abilities, choices, and courage decide your character’s fate. You’ll be able to spend the XP you earn on gaining fantastical abilities such as wielding magic, but things like fighting, climbing, running, hiding – these are all things that rely on your real-life abilities. Combat is fought at full speed, and it can be very deadly for characters. Don’t worry though: It’s not that hard, and with a little practice, you too will be able to hold your own against marauding ogres or shambling zombies moaning for brains.

What Makes Us Different

  • We are a Non-for-Profit with 8 dedicated staff teams run by volunteer players
  • We are New York’s most centralized LARP
  • We host our game on 400 acres of private land, no spectators allowed
  • Our player community is diverse with players of all backgrounds, ages, and careers
  • Our event fee includes food, accommodation, and indoor shower facilities
  • There’s no up-charge if you want to PC at an event
  • Combat is fought at real speed with medium-impact
  • Players use real props and realistic-looking weapons
  • We host additional community events outside of our standard event weekends
  • You can choose your own path and play style through our classless system
  • Realistic interactions – if you can do it, and do it safely, you can play it
  • There are non-game ways to earn XP for your character, such as volunteer events
  • We are a Non-for-Profit with 8 dedicated staff teams run by volunteer players
  • We are New York’s most centralized LARP
  • We host our game on 400 acres of private land, no spectators allowed
  • Our player community is diverse with players of all backgrounds, ages, and careers
  • Our event fee includes food, accommodation, and indoor shower facilities
  • There’s no up-charge if you want to PC at an event
  • Combat is fought at real speed with medium-impact
  • Players use real props and realistic-looking weapons
  • We host additional community events outside of our standard event weekends
  • You can choose your own path and play style through our classless system
  • Realistic interactions – if you can do it, and do it safely, you can play it
  • There are non-game ways to earn XP for your character, such as volunteer events

Player of the Month

Shauna Goldstein

Player Since: 2022

PC Name: Poppy

Pronouns: She/Her

“Everyone else tries hard to make sure everyone is having fun, and I want to make sure I’m doing my best to do the same. I have an easier time when I can go out and cause some havoc, such as playing a boggart eye physician or a harpy that wanted to see a tournament to determine the best people to recruit to her following.

I just realized both those examples are fae huh? Whelp, if the shoe fits…”

Read Shauna's Interview

Player of the Month

Shauna Goldstein

Player Since: 2022

PC Name: Poppy

Pronouns: She/Her

“Everyone else tries hard to make sure everyone is having fun, and I want to make sure I’m doing my best to do the same. I have an easier time when I can go out and cause some havoc, such as playing a boggart eye physician or a harpy that wanted to see a tournament to determine the best people to recruit to her following.

I just realized both those examples are fae huh? Whelp, if the shoe fits…”

Read Shauna's Interview
Kingdoms of Novitas logo and copyright info

Shauna Goldstein
She/Her

When was your first game at Novitas?

November 2022

Did you have experience with LARPing before you started?

Listening to my friends talking about it every time we got together. Pretty sure I knew the entire rulebook via listening to them before I even considered going to game.

Can you tell us what it’s like to be a player at Kingdoms of Novitas? What do you like about the game?

Everyone is very chill and open to new people. I’ve never felt out of place or like I wasn’t welcome, it’s easy to just walk up to anyone and talk to them or join in on a conversation, and any questions I’ve had were taken seriously no matter how silly I thought they were. Even if you mess something up, people are nice about working around it and explaining to you what is supposed to be happening.

What is a tip you would tell someone that is thinking about trying our game?

When in doubt, just fall over and die dramatically. Dramatic deaths are never questioned.

Pace yourself! Fourth shift of your first game is going to be one of the most exhausting you will experience because of how much you will do and learn, and unless you develop an unhealthy caffeine habit like the rest of us you’ll want a little bit of energy left for that last leg of game. Don’t be afraid to say you need a few minutes to take a break or get food, because nobody will ever fault you for needing to do either of those things.

What was one of your favorite in-game moments?

I was PCing and Richard B came out as a snow goblin named Yox looking to have tea with someone. Lynn, Makhno, Shandeen, Pseudolus and I took him up on it and we discussed things like “What if the gods weren’t here to divide us?” and “What if there was a nation of just faekin?”. It was the first time Poppy really realized how little she knew about the world outside of Civen and stories in books. It was a really great character moment to have and was one of the first times I started feeling like I was Poppy and not just trying to figure out how to portray a character I was playing. The fact that this snow goblin is from a clan that has strong ties to Lorelei and Shelaz was a fun bonus. Also the tea was good :)

What is your favorite type of NPC to play? Why?

Anything where I can cause a little bit of chaos or mischief. Everyone else tries hard to make sure everyone is having fun, and I want to make sure I’m doing my best to do the same. I have an easier time when I can go out and cause some havoc, such as playing a boggart eye physician or a harpy that wanted to see a tournament to determine the best people to recruit to her following.

I just realized both those examples are fae huh? Whelp, if the shoe fits…

What’s your favorite meal from the inn?

Ramen is the only acceptable answer to this question, though Hannah and Sage could probably cook just about anything and I would eat it with no complaints.

What’s a song on your LARP playlist? Bonus – if you could pick a theme song for your PC, what would it be?

I am not a woman, I’m a God – Halsey

Poppy’s theme song – The Show (I’m partial to the Melanie Martinez version)

What PCs have you played? Let us know who they are in 3 words

Poppy: Chaotic adorable redhead

Can you tell us about your current PCs?

What was Poppy supposed to be?

A socialite schemer who wrote and distributed adult novels via a shell company to cover up slightly more illegal activity. She was supposed to pick her words carefully, make herself well-known, and generally be just enough of a pain that people didn’t want to ask too many questions. I had a pretty lengthy backstory in my head and I had a lot of plans for her. They all went out the window when I brought her into her first game and she got the Mind Shatter plague two hours in. It was then I realized that Poppy has her own story to tell, my lengthy backstory be damned, and she has a few secrets even I haven’t quite figured out yet.

What did Poppy turn into?

Penelope, AKA Poppy, is a loud, impulsive, blunt, headstrong red faekin who likes to wander around town and people watch. She’s the sister of Lynn, another faekin PC in game, and the reason Poppy gives for coming to Maplewood was to visit her. While she seems like an open book, the more you talk to Poppy the more you’ll realize all the details she gives are superficial and she is trying almost a little too hard to appear incompetent. I’ve described her before as being in “That part of your twenties right before your head pops out of your ass, where you’re still self-centered but starting to realize that the world is way bigger than you are”.

Poppy’s from a big family in Civen- this is the one part of her story that stayed consistent from start to finish. In addition to Lynn she has a younger brother named Lucas who just turned 18. Her father is a plebian-turned-patrician that does scribal work and bookkeeping, and her mother takes care of the family’s social obligations and appearances. While Lynn proved to be better at the scribal aspect of family work, Poppy excelled at seeing the bigger picture of what was going on around her. Despite the large and often busy household, Poppy spent most of her time when she was young in the library reading and writing stories. She found herself with less time to do this as she grew older and Lynn ran off to adventure in the Freelands, leaving Poppy to step up and assist her mother with the day to day dealings of running the house.

Lynn had always written home asking Poppy to come out and visit her but she had absolutely no desire to leave the comforts of home. After an incident with a mercenary that left her feeling very alone and insecure, she met a young high elf named Lorelei who had traveled to Civen to looking for information in the Mage Hall. After deducing that Lorelei was a member of a group Lynn had fallen in with while traveling, Poppy quickly took the elf under her wing with the intention of just using her for information but instead they wound up becoming close friends. When Lorelei returned to Maplewood, Poppy went with her.

Poppy made her own business shortly after leaving home called Steamy Ink Publishing, which is currently most well-known for the Steamy Ink Press. SIP is a gossip rag that is written for the non-PCs of Maplewood to get an idea of who the adventurers that flit in and out of town actually are, and is slowly starting to gain more popularity. She plans to expand into short stories, scholarly papers, and- ehm- adult novellas in the future.

Where is Poppy going?

Like I said earlier, she has her own story to tell. For example her reason for leaving Civen to visit Lynn is obviously a complete lie, but I only just realized the actual reason myself last game. Poppy’s also beginning to learn that she doesn’t actually know much about society outside of Civen at all- case and point, she has little idea about any sort of faekin oppression that occurs in the bigger world- and is starting to feel more like a square peg in a round hole by the day. How that actually shapes her as a person and where she ends up is going to be very fun to experience! Steamy Ink Press is one of my favorite things to do and she will be writing/editing that for a very long time.

What’s one item your character can’t live without?

Poppy has a book that she is almost never seen without, and also an emergency cheese snack.

Who is your favorite PC other than yourself? Why?

I feel like saying Lynn is cheating since she’s technically Poppy’s sister, but she’s one of the defining things that make up Poppy’s character so of course she is my favorite to play with! We’ve been asked if we’re sisters in real life before because we portray that relationship really well together.

Family excluded, I find Shandeen (Poppy calls her “Shanty” since she’s from the sea) fun to be around. She’s very friendly, her kit is super cute, and her blog speaks to my inner hopeless romantic. Poppy and her actually have a lot in common, though that hasn’t come out in game yet.